I Will Become Your Sword and Shield
by brabbit1029
Summary: Takahashi Hotaru is a boy who wants to escape from his dark past. Iura Hitomi is a girl who just wants a better life. One day, they log onto Sword Art Online to escape their fates, not knowing they were walking into a death trap. Now they have to fight for their lives together while meeting new friends and enemies, discovering secrets, and overcoming their pasts together.
1. Chapter 1

**I DO NOT OWN SWORD ART ONLINE OR CHARACTERS EXCEPT FOR MY OCs! ALL RIGHTS GO TO REKI KAWAHARA!**

**This fanfic has nothing to do with the original story with Kirito and Asuna, though some of the ideas or conflict will be the same. I'm also sharing ideas and characters with pandora99, but we hae different stories. Be sure to check hers out!**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**Hotaru**

My life's a lie.

"Hey, have you heard of that new VRMMO game?"

What I do is a lie.

"Sword Art Online? Who hasn't?"

What comes out of my mouth is a lie.

"Kayaba Akihiko, huh?"

What I think is a lie.

"He's a genius, isn't he?"

It's all one big lie.

"It comes out after school! We'll have to hurry. It'll run out as soon as it's on sale."

I sighed._ "Video games? What a load of crap."_

These guys were really idiots. Going on and on about games, porn, it made me sick.

"You ass holes, you're making my head hurt."

"What do you think, Takahashi-kun?"

_"I think it's a load of bullshit."_

"It sounds fun." I smiled.

"Right? We should all go together once it comes out!" One of the boys across from me exclaimed. "Yeah!" They all cheered in excitement.

"You wanna come, Takahashi?" One guy asked me.

_"I'd rather spend the night locked up here. Bastards."_

"Sorry, I have to study for midterms these days." I said apologetically. I got out of my seat and walked towards the door.

"Where're you going?" One guy asked. I never bother to remember their damn names.

"Getting a drink." I replied. "Cool, could you get me a bottle of Oolong juice?" Another guy asked. "I want mixed juice!" Another said "A can of black coffee, please!"

_"What am I, a dog?"_

"Sure." I nodded and walked out the door.

"Damn you all." I mumbled angrily under my breath. I pulled at my long bangs that hid my face, yanking them and twisting the strands around my fingers, which was a habit. "Why do I have to get you drinks? Haul your lazy asses out and get 'em yourselves."

But I couldn't say that to them. I wouldn't. I promised myself that I wouldn't let those kind of words be said to anyone ever again.

I reached the drink machine on the second floor and slid in the coins. I grabbed some bread from the store on my way and headed towards the roof.

_"Those bastards probably forgot about it. I don't feel like going back down."_

I set all the drinks aside and popped open my can. I lied flat on my back, staring straight up at the clear blue sky.

"Too bright." I complained, holding a hand up to shield the damn sunlight from my face. I don't know how people find it refreshing.

I sighed and turned onto one side. I should probably get these drinks to them. Not that I wanted to.

I sat up at the sound of a bird perched on the railing behind me. I heard some people walking past the open door leading to the roof nearby.

I put on my usual fake smile and walked towards it. "Hello, there. Hungry?" I ripped a piece off of my bread and held it out towards the bird. It cocked its head, then stretched out, wings flapping, and took the bread from my fingers.

"Oh, look, it's Takahashi Hotaru." I heard a girl from behind say.

"Hello!" Another waved.

"Hey!" I waved back cheerfully. "So kind as usual, huh?" The boy walking next to them grinned. "At that rate, you won't have any left for yourself!"

"But he looked hungry." I pouted playfully. "Save some for yourself!" They left.

I sighed. Finally gone.

The bird stared down at me expectantly with its annoying beady eyes.

"Get lost." I said quietly.

"Squawk?"

"Leave, you damn bird." I stared straight at it. It squawked and rapidly flapped its wings and flew away.

I grumpily scooped up all the drinks and headed back down to my classroom.

_"How much longer am I gonna keep this up?"_

"Hey, Takahashi! What took you so long?" A boy with dark hair grinned, leaning back in his chair.

"Sorry. Long line." I put on my fake smile again.

_"These guys are real idiots for not noticing. Everyone is."_

"Thanks!" I handed out the drinks.

_"Maybe I'm just too good at this."_

"We only have five more minutes till class starts, though?"

"Eh? Seriously?! Crap, we have a quiz!"

"Ha, forgot as usual, huh Mochizuki?

"Shut up!"

I drifted off somewhere in the conversation.

_"So boring. I hate it. It makes me sick."_

I began peeling a piece of tape off my desk.

_"People make me sick."_

The tape wouldn't move. Agitated, I scratched harder.

_"Why do I do this?"_

A tiny corner started peeling off the polished word.

_"Because I don't want people to see my old self."_

The tape started to loosen.

_"Because people hate the real me."_

I used my index finger and thumb to rip the tape off the desk.

_"Because I hate the real me."_

By the time I had defeated the villainous Dr. Tape, class had started. I opened my textbook and blankly stared out the window through my bangs.

I could hear the tick-tock of the clock, but that was it. I couldn't hear the teacher lecturing, or the sound of chalk against the chalkboard, or the sound of people whispering and passing notes behind the teacher's back.

"Hashi…Ru…Taka…Takahashi Hotaru!"

"H-hai!" I jumped out of my seat.

_"Agh, I spaced out again."_

"Please continue reading from where we left off." The teacher ordered.

_"Don't order me around, old man."_

"Hai, sensei." I held up my textbook. "Um…The leaves of autumn-"

"Wrong page." Sensei snapped.

_"Shut up, old man."_

"S-sorry." I flipped the page. "T-the wings that-"

"Wrong."

"My empty soul was-"

"Wrong."

"Ha ha ha, lost again, Hotaru-san?" The girl sitting behind me laughed.

_"Like you never."_

"Page 6, paragraph 5, line 10." Sensei said. "Please pay closer attention next time."

_"Never."_

"Hai."

I managed to survive the rest of class. I was out the door as soon as the last bell rang.

_"And now for the update on the most recent VRMMO game, Sword Art Online."_

"Mmm?" I looked up at the large screen TV I just happened to be passing by.

_"The new virtual reality game by yours truly, Kayaba Akihiko." The annoying, big-chested anchorwoman droned on. "In this game, you can enter a virtual world full of sword fighting, monsters, and real-life interaction. It is as if you are actually there! You can customize your avatar however you please-"_

"Tch." I continued walking_._

_"Customize your own avatar…however you please…? I'm already doing that."_

_"Doesn't sound too bad, though…Maybe I'll get it…"_

In the end, I decided to get it.

It's not like I was excited. I just wanted to see how it was like.

Maybe I'd finally find a place where I could be free. Where I could do what I wanted, run away from all this stress.

I actually didn't get my hands on it right after it was released. It took me awhile to find a store that wasn't sold out.

I closed my bedroom door shut, even though I lived alone. I opened the box and rummaged through the bubble wrap until I found the helmet-like device and instructions.

"NerveGear, huh?" I examined the machine. It was pretty simple-looking.

I placed the helmet on my head and lied down on my bed. The last thing I saw was the ceiling from beneath the helmet before closing my eyes.

I didn't know that would be the last.

"LINK START!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Hitomi**

"Oi, nee-chan!"

"Nani?" I felt a tug on my shirt. I looked down to find a fourteen-year old boy with dark hair and purple eyes just like mine look up at me.

"I'm hungry." My little brother, Taku, said flatly.

"I know. You've told me that a hundred times already." I rolled my eyes. "I'll go get you something to eat."

"If it's porridge, don't put in any green onions!" Taku called out after me.

"Hai, hai." I leaned against my cane and hobbled out of the room.

"Ne, oto-san!" I called out made my way down the stairs. "Nani?" My adoptive father, Kudo Isana, was looking through a large pile of papers. "Taku wants porridge!" I said.

"How is he?" My dad put down his papers. "Fine, for now." I replied and grabbed an apple from the kitchen. "You've stained your uniform once again." My father scolded, scanning my school uniform. I had a large stain from orange juice that I spilled earlier on the white fabric of my skirt.

"G-gomen. I'll clean it later." I took a large bite out of the apple with one hand and leaned on my cane with the other.

"Do you need help going to sch-"

"How many times do I have to tell you no?" I snapped. I immediately regretted it when my father's face fell.

"I-I'm all right." I looked down at my feet. Father just stood there for a moment, then smiled sweetly and planted a light kiss on my forehead. "Now, hurry, or you'll be late."

"Hai." I nodded and headed for the door. "Don't forget about the porridge! He wants plenty of green onions!"

School is like an occupation. Something I do to burn time. It's nothing I look forward to going to. In fact, I hated it there. School is full of such corrupted people, such a complex hierarchy when it comes to popularity, and terrible hygiene conditions.

What I hate most are the people who make fun of me and my busted hip. The complete left side of my hip was paralyzed, so I couldn't walk properly. I could even feel eyes on me right now as I walked into the school.

I'd much rather be at home in front of my computer screen. The internet was my home, where no one would laugh at me or make fun of me. I loved video games, especially virtual reality games, where I could actually walk properly and even run as I pleased. In games, I can socialize. I'm not as quiet or isolated like I am here.

Which was exactly why I was able to bear with school today

Today was finally the release of the most recent VRMMO game, Sword Art Online. I'd prepared all my data from my previous virtual reality games to transfer into the game as soon as I got my hands on it. I hacked into the game's company and pre-ordered a copy of the game for myself without getting caught, so getting the game was no problem.

I guess people would call me a hacker, though I don't prefer the term. I just use my vast knowledge on technology to get what I want. I don't believe in cheats to level up or anything. It isn't fair.

"Oh, look, well if it isn't ba-chan**(old lady)**!"

I gritted my teeth and walked past the group of one of my most usual group of teasers. "Ne, ba-chan! How's the Kudo residence?" One guy, Momozono Shun, snickered. "Isn't that lame? She's so rich but still has to walk around on that cane everywhere!" The girl next to him snorted.

I wanted to punch them. To kick them. To beat them up like I did with all my opponents in games. But this was the real world. I couldn't do that.

_"Just bear with it."_ I told myself, breathing through my nostrils angrily. I continued walking, ignoring the laughs arising behind me.

_"I hate it. I hate it. I hate it."_

I guess I could just not go to school. That way, I wouldn't have to be dealing with all this. But I'm not a coward. In the past, I couldn't even dream of going to school. And father was the one who worked hard to get me into school. Regardless of all the suffering, I have to go to school.

It's too bad I can't truthfully say I love it, though.

_"Bear with it. Bear with it. Bear with it."_ I repeated in my head over and over as I took my seat. _"Just one day. Then I can finally play Sword Art Online."_

"All right, roll call!" My teacher walked in and began reading off the list in her hands.

"Aizawa!"

"Here!"

"Andou!"

"Here!"

It wasn't until the teacher said my name five times before I actually heard her.

"Ah, sumemase" I bowed my head.

"Pay more attention, Iura." My teacher chided.

"Hai, sensei." I said, ignoring the snickering behind me like I always do.

_"Just keep it low. Behave. Don't get in trouble. Don't cause trouble."_

But that didn't happen.

"Iura. Please continue the next line." Sensei called on me after the previous reader sat down.

"Hai." I reached for my cane, but my hand only met empty air. "Huh?' I searched around my desk. My cane was gone.

Then it struck me. I clenched my fists and looked around. My classmates had on such innocent faces, but I could see that twinkle in their eyes.

_"Don't bother. Don't bother. Don't bother."_

"Iura." Sensei raised his voice.

I gripped the edge of my desk and somehow managed to haul myself up. I could feel the air intensify as everyone struggled to contain their laughter, but I could hear their voices loud and clear in my head.

"T-the wind of the day wraps around me…" I halted as I began to wobble. A few smirks were let out here and there. I regained my balance and continued as if nothing happened. "A-as my soul begins to stir-"

As soon as I loosened my grip a little, I toppled over. "Wah!" My arms went up as I fell, bringing my books and papers with me. The class couldn't hold back any longer and burst out in laughter. I could feel my face turn red, and a loud buzzing filled my ears.

"Please be more careful, Iura.' Sensei simply looked down on me over the rims of his glasses.

"H-hai."

No one helped me up. They continued on with the lesson as I spent the entire class trying to get back up onto my seat with no prevail. I ended up sitting on the floor until the bell rang. Even after class, no one came to get me.

"Great. Now what?" I groaned. I was stuck on the floor like a toddler who hadn't learned how to walk. How embarrassing.

"Oi, Hito-chi!" A boy with spiky brown hair burst into the room. "Ya here?"

"Y-Yuta!" I exclaimed.

"Yo. Found this." He held up my cane and waved it in the air like a prize. "Th-thanks." I stammered. He grinned and knelt down beside me. "Here." I hastily took it out of his hands.

"C'mon. Next class is starting soon." Yuta helped me onto my feet.

Yuta is probably the first friend I'd ever had. Unlike everyone else, he never teased me. He was always there for me and stood up for me. I wouldn't say I liked him, but he was a great friend. He was also handsome and very popular, so it was kind of odd that he'd spend time with a girl like me.

"You should take better care of that cane." Yuta said as he strode nonchalantly in front of me, hands in his pockets. "Sh-shut up." I snapped. "Why did those guys have your cane?" Yuta asked.

"I-I lost it." I lied.

"Liar."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

This was always how our quarrels went. So stupid. So childish. And so fun.

"They stole it, didn't they?" Yuta put on a sudden grave expression. I stopped in my tracks and said nothing. "Listen here, Hito-chi. If some guys ever do something like that to you ever again-" I warily stepped back as he placed his face only inches from mine. "-you let me know. I'll beat 'em all up for ya, hear me?"

"U-ummmm…" I blushed. "T-there's no need. And I told you to stop calling me Hito-chi!" I snapped. "Aw, why not?" Yuta returned to his old, playful self. "It's because you're _soi cute!" _"Shut up!" I whacked him on the head with my cane.

"Ow! Now you really _do_ look like an old lady!" Yuta scowled playfully. "Tch." I continued walking.

_"Yuta's such a nice person. He's so popular. Doesn't he have better friends to hang out with?"_

"You busy after school today?" Yuta's voice snapped me out of my thoughts "Eh? Oh, busy." I said.

"Oh, yeah, you're buying that new game." Yuta said with little interest. He may be my friend, but we'll never get closer than we are now like this. He doesn't really care about games, which makes me reconsider him as my only friend. "What? Somewhere you wanna go?" I asked.

"Ah, no, not really." Yuta turned away awkwardly "Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow, kay?"

"Yeah, bye." He waved back at me one more time before running off towards his next class A group of people immediately walked up to him, and soon he was back in his own world, surrounded by friends.

"Wh-Who cares!" I mumbled to myself. "None of my business! Just focus on the game! The game!"

Which was exactly what I did. I mixed up my history and math homework, sang the entirely wrong song in music class, and got yelled at for spilling milk on the president's uniform. I couldn't help it. I was daydreaming.

I dashed home as fast as my little cane could carry me. I dug through piles of envelopes and small packages until I found the box I was looking for.

I darted into the house, quickly saying hi to my dad and brother. "Don't bother me!" I told both of them.

I tore the box open and lifted the shiny NerveGear from the nest of bubble wrap. Excitement bubbled in my chest as I placed it on my heat, its curved-shape fitting perfectly on my head, comfortable with its cushion lining. I briefly read over the thorough instructions that came with the set and changed into a comfortable T-shirt.

"Here I go!" I flopped down onto my bed.

At this moment, I really wished I'd said good-bye to my father and brother more thoroughly.

"LINK START!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
Hotaru

_"Please select a language."_

I scrolled through the long list of languages I'd never heard of until I found **"Japanese."** I clicked it.

_"Welcome to Sword Art Online."_

I was in an empty room with a virtual screen in front of me requesting my name. For a game, this stimulation felt so real. I typed my name on the keyboard in front of me.

**T-A-K-A-H-A-S-H-I H-O-T-A-R-U**

_"Name accepted. Please enter player name."_

I just typed in **"Hotaru."**

_"Player name accepted. Please customize your avatar. You will be able to change your settings later throughout the game."_

_"Damn computer voice from above. You're annoying."_

I didn't really change my look that much. I changed my eye color to brown and hair color to black so as to not attract attention. I chose to wear a long black cloak to hide my face.

_"Customized avatar saved. You will be transported to the Town of Beginnings. Please enjoy Sword Art Online."_

The room around me disappeared, and a swirl of bright colors took its place. I felt myself floating as I was transported away from the room with the annoying computer voice. The colors peeled away to reveal a large, old-European style town with cobblestone floors and cottages. Crowds of players were looking around in awe. Other people were still being teleported, some materializing right in front of me. Regular players were walking around casually in the town before us. They all wore flagrant clothes and wielded swords and shields, just like in the movies. I did have to admit that this virtual stuff was pretty cool.

I looked up to find a large holographic screen above the square where players were gathering that said "**Welcome to Aincrad!"** in big letters.

"Amazing!" One man besides me exclaimed. "It's so realistic!" A girl squealed.

_"Pathetic."_ I sighed.

A new message appeared on the board.

**"For general instructions, guild information, maps, and more, please hold up a finger. A menu will appear. This is where you will maintain your skills, appearances, items, and logging out."**

"Hmmmm." I held up a finger. A bar of orange and white appeared. I clicked **"General Instructions."**

**"Welcome to the VRMMO game, Sword Art Online! The goal to defeat the game is to clear all floors of the game. Each floor has a boss to clear. Defeating these bosses can earn you rare items or a high amount of xp points. You can earn hp and xp points through duels, battles, and quests, as well as skills and items. Skills and items can aid you in your battle. You can also earn skills by leveling up. Customization of your avatar as you wish is also in store. Most clothes are dependent on the guild you join. Guilds are parties of players who form alliances to clear floors and reach the end of the game. They share information and trade items. There are also solo players, players who prefer to not join a guild. This can be both an advantage and disadvantage, making it easier to clear floors, but it also raises the risk of getting ambushed."**

"Solo player?" I mumbled. Not bad.

**"There are also yellow and red players. Yellow players are players who have committed crimes in the game. Red players are players who have killed other players online. You are able to identify red and yellow players by looking at their hp bars above their heads, which also display their player name, level, and hp. Hp can be lost through damage during battles. One your hp reaches zero, you will automatically be logged out of the game. For more information, please continue reading the passages below. If you have any questions, please click the "Help" button below."**

**"Aincrad is your new home! Fight with your swords and shields to the top!"**

I finished the last sentence. These people take this way too seriously. They're all just people who turn to virtual reality because they have no life in the real world, I guess. I spotted a green bar floating in the corner of my eye.

"Oh? My level bar." My hp level was full, and my name. "Hotaru" was right above it. "Eh? My level isn't here." I noticed that the level number like the one in the example picture was missing. "I'd obviously be level one, but…"

Maybe it's normal when you first start the game? I examined other hp bars of the people around me. They all had level numbers.

"That's strange. A glitch, maybe?" I began pressing buttons. "But it should be here."

Another message appeared on the screen. **"You are currently in the Town of Beginnings. Restaurants, pubs, cafes, markets, and blacksmith shops are located here. This is where you will stock up your supplies for journeys. This is also where you will buy your first weapon. Teleportation crystals are also available here. Teleportation crystals are used to teleport to certain places. These are vital for your journeys, so please do purchase some. You have already been provided with 200 col, the currency used in Sword Art Online. More col can be earned through quests and other achievements."**

"Col?" I searched through my menu and found an icon saying **"Col: 200."** I clicked it, and a cloth bag materialized in the air. It made a loud jingling sound as I caught it in my arms. I pulled the drawstring to reveal a pile or normal-looking coins. "Like yen?" I took one out and inspected it.  
"Well, might as well get started, then."

I headed for the Town of Beginnings.

No matter how much I tried convincing myself, I just couldn't get myself to believe that this was all a virtual world. The place was packed with people, buildings stacked side-by-side. There were people selling fruits and vegetables and items on the sides of the streets. Markets were yelling out reasonable prices, selling food, jewelry, clothing, and weapons. Blacksmiths were banging on weapons with their hammers, which didn't seem that hard since they only had to hit a few times before the heated metal morphed into a weapon on its own.

The accurate senses also made the game seem more realistic. I could hear clearly and smell the fresh-baked food as if it were real. My vision was as clear as it was back in the real world, maybe even clearer.

"Fresh bread! Fresh bead! Only 10 col!" I passed by a girl who was waving a loaf of bread in the air. The smell made my stomach rumble even though I wasn't hungry.

I bought some food, teleportation crystals, and light clothes. None of the weapons there perked my intserest, so I decided to get one later. I didn't want to stay too long, since the town was totally packed.

I found a clearing with cobblestone seats a few blocks down and decided to rest there. I took out a loaf of bread and began munching on it as I watched other players pass by.

_"There are more girls here than I expected."_ I mused as I chewed on the bread. _"Wow, it tastes so real_."

I lost myself in the wonders of virtual bread for another half-hour before standing up once again.

"Where should I go now?" I opened up my menu and clicked the **"map"** icon.

It displayed a variety of forests, mountains, rivers, and oceans, like a real wilderland. I decided to head to the fields not too far from here where people were said to train on local monsters. I was just going to watch, though.

The field was full of players battling these blue hog-like creatures with red eyes. Once the hogs hp bar reached zero, they dissolved in a shatter of digital colors. According to my guide, these hogs were the equivalents of slim in RPGs.

_"Impressive."_ I thought sarcastically.

I couldn't fight since I didn't have a weapon yet, so I kept my distance from the battles all around the field.

"These people seem to know what they're doing." I watched a boy my age dodge a hog and spin around, sword high in the air. He brought the blade down on the hog's head. With a loud snort, the hog evaporated.

"Oi, chibi."

I looked up at the source of the gruff voice. A large man with huge abs and a celebrity face was glaring down at me.

"You're in the way. Move."

_"I can't. You're too big."_ I scowled but said nothing.

"Oi, you deaf?" The guy grabbed me by the collar. "I said move!" He hurled me over his shoulder. I went crashing into a herd of hogs. They began stomping on my body, and I could feel my hp level lowering.

"Hey, who's that, Justin?" A lanky dude walked up to the guy who just threw me. "Just some bastard who wouldn't listen." Justin growled.

_"Don't say anything. Don't say anything. Don't say anything."_

"Not listening to Justin means you have a death wish." The lanky one walked up to me with a taunting look on his face. He unsheathed his sword.

Crap. Maybe I should've gotten a weapon earlier.

The man standing over me let out a gleeful laugh and brought his sword down. I squeezed my eyes shut, ready for the impact, but all I heard was a loud "clank."

I opened my eyes to find a tall girl with dark pigtails held up with ribbons. She was wearing a dark purple coat, white miniskirt, and purple boots that matched her eyes. She stood effortlessly blocking the attack with a long, thin sword. Surprise could be seen on the guy's face.

"Attacking players ruthlessly is absurd." The girl said with a loud, strong voice. "Stand down." "A girl?" The lanky guy smirked. "I don't fight girls."  
The girl narrowed her purple eyes. "I don't want sympathy. Please stand down." "Don't tell us what to do." The man snarled and lunged. He held out his sword, aiming to knock the girl's weapon out of her hands.

The girl carefully sidestepped, the blade barely missing her chin. She twirled gracefully and outstretched her sword hand. The next thing I knew, she was on the man's other side, sword held beneath his chin. He dropped his sword in shock and held up his hands in surrender. Murmurs began to spread amongst the crowd surrounding us.

"Woah, who's that?"

"She's hot!"

"That was amazing!"

I cursed. I meant to not attract much attention, but this girl just butted in.

"You okay?"

I realized she was talking to me. She held out a hand. I tentatively took it, and she hauled me up with ease.

"You need to learn to defend yourself." She said. "Weaklings should be training in lower level fields."

_"Wow. Sassy."_

"Hey, what do you think you're doing, girly?" The buff guy, Justin, demanded. I had forgotten he was there, which should've been impossible considering his size. "I do not wish to quarrel." The girl faced Justin. "Please leave this boy alone." "Why you-" Justin took out a large thick sword and a shield. He raised his sword and slashed at the girl.

The girl was somehow able to deflect the blow. She ran up the man's arm, lept into the air, and slashed so fast that my eyes couldn't keep up. Once she landed on the ground, Justin's sword was sliced in half. There were scratch marks all over his once polished shield, and tears began to form on his clothes. "W-what the-" He stammered, examining his clothes and fallen weapons. "W-who are you?"

"I am Hitomi, commander of the guild "Black Vampire Bats." The girl declared, chin raised high.

"The Black Vampire Bats?!"

"That's one of the strongest guilds around!"

"What's a Black Vampire Bat doing here? And the commander, at that?!"

"If you wish to live, leave." The girl held the point of her sword in front of Justin's face. He looked like he was about to burst, but didn't say anything. He and his friend fished out teleportation crystals and disappeared.

"That was amazing!" People began surrounding the girl.

"Can I have your autograph?"

"What skill was that just now?"

"Cool sword!"

"You're pretty!"

I quietly crawled away and escaped through the crowd.

"H-hey, wait!" The girl called out, but she was surrounded, and I had already dived into the crowd.

I finally got out of the populated field and was back in the Town of Beginnings. I pulled my bangs. "Talk about little attention." I scoffed.

"Hey, you! Wait up!"

I turned around. The girl who had just saved me was running towards me. Seems like she somehow escaped the crowd of fans.

"You haven't thanked me." She stopped in front of me and slouched to catch her breath. "For what?" I asked. "For what?" The girl scoffed. "I just saved your frickin ass."

"I didn't ask you to." I stated bluntly. "Wha-" Her face twisted in anger. "You should be thankful! If I hadn't been there, you would've bee smashed and sliced to pieces." "So?" I shrugged.

"So?!" The girl echoed with disgust. "What's wrong with you?!"

"What's wrong with me? You're the once who butted in, you bitch."

I don't know why I was acting like my true self in front of this girl. Well, I don't know her.

The girl was fuming. "Tch. Whatever. Well, you owe me."

"I owe you for something you did?"

"Just buy me a drink or something!" The girl snapped. "A drink?" This girl's demanding. I sighed. "Fine."

We found an old-style pub nearby. I ordered two glasses of some strange drink that was the color of honey and some sandwiches.

_"How long will this last?"_ I held up the half empty bag of col.

"Just earn more." The girl took a sip of her drink. "You can complete quests or defeat monsters to earn money. Jobs are also a way to get more col."  
"Is that so?" I clicked a button, and the bag disappeared. I took a tentative sip from the glass. It was sweet like syrup, but also slighlty fizzy.

"Anyway, I'm Hitomi." The girl introduced herself. "I know." I said. She scowled. "And you're...Hotaru?" She read the name above my hp bar.  
I nodded.

"I would say nice to meet you, but that would be a lie." I took a bite out of my sandwich.

"Wh-what?!" The girl burst out. "You're rude."

"You can't call the person who bought you a meal rude."

"Well, that's because I saved you!"

"I didn't ask you to."

"That-argh!"

"Um, sir, miss."A waiter cautiously walked towards our table. "Please quiet down. You are causing a ruckus." We looked around to find all eyes on us. Shit. I pulled my hood lower over my face. Hitomi caughed awkwardly. "Whatever. I'll just finish this then leave."

_"Please do."_

We ate the rest of our meal in silence. Seriously, the food was good, better than anything I'd had in the real world.

"You don't have a weapon?" Hitomi suddenly asked out of the blue. "Huh? Oh...nope." I looked up from my sandwich. "No wonder." Hitomi scoffed. I do admit that I should've gotten a weapon sooner, but she didn't have to rub it in. "You a new player? Or you just don't fight?" She picked at the tomatoes in her sandwich.

"New. I just logged on today."

"Figures." Hitomi snorted. I held back a sharp retort.

"Well, thanks for the meal." She stood up, though she didn't sound grateful. We left a tip and walked out of the restaurant, which was a relief. This girl was pretty hot, and all the guys were drooling over her.

"Well, I have to go." Hitomi said. "Hopefully, I'll never see you again."

_"Good-bye to you too."_ I scoffed.

"Anyway, see-" Suddenly, light flashed around us.

"What the-"

The town disappeared and was replaced by the town square where I had first walked into. Millions of players being teleported to town square and were walking around in confusion.

"What's going on?" Hitomi wondered out loud. She headed for the center, and I followed.

"Hey, I can't log out!" One guy cried.

"Me neither!"

"I can't find it!"

"What?" I opened up my menu. The log out icon that should've been at the bottom was absent.

"What the-" Hitomi scrolled through her menu. "What's going on? Is it a glitch?"

"Attention, players!"

The confused players looked up above them. The sky was turning a dark reddish-purple, and a gigantic red-hooded figure was floating high in the air.

"What the hell?" Hitomi exclaimed. "He's a game master, isn't he?"

_"I have a bad feeling about this."_

"I am Kayaba Akihiko!"

Gasps spread out throughout the crowd.

"Kayaba Akihiko?!"

"The creator?!"

I remembered the name that those guys in my class talked about earlier. Not to mention that his name was all over the news.

"Yes." Akihiko's voice boomed. "Welcome, players of Aincrad. I am here to offer you a quest."

"Probably just some prank." Hitomi muttered under her breath.

_"I don't think so."_

"As you can see, the log out icon on your menus are missing." Akihiko continued. "I am the one who took it out."

"What?" A player in front of me exclaimed. "That's stupid!"

"Let us log out!"

"I have a date at 5!"

"This is stupid! I'm leaving!"

"You cannot log out." Akihiko said. "Leaving from inside the game is impossible. And if someone on the outside attempts to remove the NerveGear you used to log in, you will be killed instantly."

The protests grew. Players began to shout in fear and anger.

"This is a game of survival." Akihiko announced. "If your hp leel reaches zero in the game, your bodies in the real life will perish as well."

"What?!" Hitomi exclaimed. "So...if we die in the game...we die for real?"

The commotion grew even louder.

"Of course, there is a way you can leave the game alive." Akihiko said. "If you clear all 100 floors of the dungeon, the log-out option will reappear."

"C-clear all 100 floors? Without reaching 0 hp?"

"Absurd!"

"Get us out of here!"

"I want to leave!"

"Before I leave, I will give you all a parting gift." A new icon appeared on everyone's menus.

"Mirror?" I murmured. I clicked the icon, and a simple mirror materialized in the air. I studied my reflection. "Isn't this just a regular mirror?" At least that's what I thought when suddenly light flashed and the world around me began to spin. The mirror crashed to the floor and shattered. I felt like I was being spun upside down. Hitomi, who was on my left, was now on my right.

"What the-" I gasped. My bangs were back to their regular color. "Hey!" Hitomi was messing with her hair. She didn't look that much different, except her face looked much younger and her hair was longer. Players were staring at each other in awe. There were plenty of "Hey, you're a guy!'s." The number of girls in the crowd had decreased.

Do that many guys really enjoy cross-dressing?

"That is all." Akihiko said. "Good luck on your journery, and work hard to clear the game. Or there'll be no one left."

Akihiko disappeared, and the sky returned to its normal clear blue state.

Tense silence hung in the air for what felt like hours. No one said anything. No one made a single sound.

Then chaos erupted.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Hitomi**

I had trouble processing the last few minutes I'd logged into the game.

Kayaba Akihiko had showed up. He said we couldn't log out, and if we died in the game, we'd die for real. No one on the outside could remove our NerveGear either. To free ourselves from the game, we had to clear all 100 floors of the game.

_"No. No, this can't be happening."_

I loved the virtual world. I loved being able to walk, to run, to fight. I was free.

But Taku needed me. Father needed me. And I was stuck in this game. If I died here, I'd never see them again.

Father's too busy. He has to work hard to maintain the business. Taku is weak. He needs me by his side to feed him, change him, comfort him…

No. This can't be happening. It just can't.

"I want to leave!" A girl a few years younger than me collapsed to the floor in tears.

"Let us out, Akihiko!" A middle-aged man yelled to the sky.

"I didn't agree to this!"

"Will we really die?"

Players began crying, shouting out possibilities, protesting. "This can't be!" People cried. Everyone was grief stricken, still shocked from the announcement. We were all trapped in this game. And we would die as soon as our hp level hit zero.

I glanced at the cloaked figure besides me. He was Hotaru, a boy I just saved not too long ago. He had his hood on, so I couldn't see his face. He didn't seem different, though, even after those mirrors changed everyone's appearance to their normal form. The only difference I noticed was that his dark hair had turned white.

_"Why did I even save him?"_

He had been thrown around by a group of jerks in the fields, and on impulse, I had saved him. But he was rude and ungrateful, and he got on my nerves, which was rare. And now, he just simply stood there calmly, staring up at the sky where Kayaba Akihiko had previously been in silence.

A small "pop" sound in front of me brought me back to my senses. It was a message from Victor, the vice-commander of my guild. I opened the message.

**"Did you hear what happened? This can't be happening. Leave town square and teleport to headquarters."**

I sent back a message saying **"Roger"** and began weaving through the crowd. Then I remembered Hotaru, who still stood there amidst the chaos.

_"Just leave him. He's an ungrateful little brat. And he seriously irks me."_

I didn't even know him. He was a shady guy I'd only just met. But he was a new player. And he'd just discovered that he had logged onto a death game. There was no way I could leave him here.

I gritted my teeth. "C'mon." I grabbed his wrist, catching him by surprise, and dragged him through the crowd. We ran through the horrified crowds towards the fields where I normally teleported to headquarters from.

I stopped and whirled around to face him. "Look. I'm the commander of the Black Vampire Bats. We are one of the most successful guilds in Aincrad, with a strong system and capable fighters. And now we have to fight even harder than before to reach the top of this game so we can escape with our lives. This may be too sudden, since you just logged on, but would you like to become a member of our guild?"

_"What am I doing? I don't want to babysit a wimp. I don't even know him."_

Guess I'm just too considerate.

"Black Vampire Bats?" Hotaru echoed thoughtfully. Then he smiled brightly. "I refuse."

"Great. I'll bring you to-" I brought out a teleportation crystal, then dropped it when I realized what he'd just said. "Wait, what?"

"Gomen. I don't want to join your guild." Hotaru smiled apologetically from under his hood.

"What?" I couldn't believe my ears. Here he was, a beginner in an entirely different world where you can actually get killed. He had just been given the opportunity to join one of the safest and securest guilds in all of Aincrad, and he just…refused?

"Y-you really are an idiot, aren't you?!" I fumed. "Did you not get what Kayaba Akihiko just said? You can't log out! If your hp reaches zero, you die! Our guild is assured to give you proper protection and training to defend yourself."

"No is no." Hotaru outstretched his arms as if he weren't trapped in a death game. "Or do you really want me to join? You like me?"

"Wha-" I fumbled. "A-As if! Anyway, if you don't want to join, you're really an idiot. So, just-"

"Watch out!"

I grabbed the hilt of my sword, but it was too late. I felt a sharp pain in my back.

_"A bug monster? Why is there even one here?"_

I readied my sword, but before I could even unsheathe the blade, a flash of light sliced through the air. In just a few seconds, the bug was in pieces. With a loud screech, it dissipated.

_"What just happened?"_ I hauled myself onto my elbows and looked up. Standing above me was Hotaru. He had a small dagger in hand, still glowing from the attack.

No way. A level one shouldn't have been able to defeat that monster with just one blow. I squinted at the green bar floating above his head. His level number was missing. Maybe he had hid the icon? But he just logged on today, right? Obviously, he was on level one. So, how…?

"See?" Hotaru faced me and smiled. "I can take care of myself just fine."

"Wh-where'd that dagger come from?" I demanded, trying to regain my composure. "Eh?" He glanced at the dagger as if he'd just noticed it was there. "Hmmm…I don't know."

An idiot. This guy was a real idiot.

"Whatever." I scowled. He held out his hand, but I swatted it away and got up on my own. "I have to get to headquarters. At least friend me. If you have any questions or need any help, just message me." He seemed kind of taken aback by my offer which seriously pissed me off.

"Fine."

I opened up my menu and typed in his name. A message appeared before him, saying **"Hitomi wishes to become friends? Accept?"** Hesitantly, he pressed **"Yes."**

"Well, message me whenever you need me." I said and picked up my teleportation crystal. I closed my eyes, gripped the crystal tight, and chanted.

"Teleport, Black Vampire Bat headquarters!"

I could feel the world around me dissolve, and Hotaru disappeared.

_"Hopefully, I won't have to deal with that guy ever again."_

It only took a few seconds before the grand castle that was Black Vampire Bats' headquarters appeared in front of me. I strode in to find hundreds of guild members in panic. Men were arguing with each other Girls were crying. Elders were trying to comfort younger subordinates.

"This is terrible." I muttered.

"Hitomi-sama!" A small girl with short brown hair ran towards me. "Um, you are…?' I blankly asked. "It's me, Sharon!"

"Sh-Sharon?" Sharon was one of my closest friends in the guild. She was a strong, capable warrior with a strong build and beautiful features. Then I remembered that the mirror Kayaba Akihiko had given us returned everyone to their normal appearances. So this was what Sharon really looked like.

"Oh, sorry, didn't recognize you." I apologized. "You're not that much different, though." Sharon noted. "So? How is it?" I asked her.

"Honestly, not so good." Sharon reported. "Fights are starting to break out."

I grimaced. I brought my fingers to my lips and let out a long whistle. Everyone went quiet and turned their attention towards me. This was the kind of authority I could never get back home.

"Commander! Tell us what to do!"

"We're doomed!"

"Do something!"

"Quiet!" I boomed "I know that this is quite a shock. It's scary and dangerous. If we are killed here, our bodies in the real world will die as well. I cannot guarantee that no lives will be lost. But we cannot continue grieving. We are the Black Vampire Bats! We are one of the most respected guilds in all of Aincrad! We just have to fight strong as we usually do! But we must proceed with more caution. We are not just a guild. We are a family. We will have each other's backs and protect each other! Isn't that what our guild is all about?"

"Is it really all right for you to be our commander?" One man in the far back called out. "You're just a little girl. Shouldn't our commander be someone stronger and more capable of leading our guild?" H-Hitomi-sama is a thousand times stronger than you!" Sharon snapped. "She's a girl!" Another man exclaimed. "Why should we have to listen to her? "What is she, twelve?"

"I am not!" I shouted without thinking. I've always hated my childish-face. Growling, I leapt into the air. I smoothly slid my sword from its sheathe and gracefully spun around. Before anyone could blink, I was standing before the man who had offended me with my sword pointed at his chest. "If you have any complaints you'd like to state or wish to duel with me for the position as commander, then feel free. But I do not intend to stand down. I may seem weak, but my abilities are just as strong as before."

The man scowled but said nothing. Then he bowed stiffly. "I apologize, Commander." I curtly nodded. "Does anyone else have anything to say to me?" No one spoke. "Good. It has been a long day. Head to your homes and get a good night's rest. Make sure to securely lock your houses. We will begin discussing on what we shall do tomorrow morning. Dismiss."

The crowd gradually began to break apart as people headed for their rooms. Some were still crying while others discussed about what would happen to them from now on.

"Good work, Hito-chan."

My vice-commander, Victor, stood behind me. He was shorter and had longer, darker hair than before, but I could recognize his voice instantly "I'm sure you're gonna be fine." "Right. Because any high school girl can lead a huge guild to victory without getting them killed in a high-tech virtual reality game where you can actually die." I scowled.

Victor smirked. "So cold as usual."

"D-do you really think we'll be fine?" Sharon asked with uncertainty. We paused. No one could answer that. This was supposed to be a fun game where you could battle and socialize. Not a game where you have to fight for your life.

Was it really going to be fine?

"Don't worry. We'll get out of here." I said firmly, trying to sound as truthful as possible. Sharon looked up at me with wide eyes, then smiled softly. "Yeah. Because we have you." "That's the Hito-chan we know." Victor grinned. "I said stop calling me that." I punched him lightly. He chuckled. "You know, you're way too calm." I noted.

"Ah, well, panicking and thinking about all the negatives things isn't really my thing, ya know." Victor sighed. "I just have to focus on getting out of the game. That's all there is to it."

Victor can be obnoxious and immature at times, but he was a brave and reliable player. I was glad to have him as my vice-commander. We walked out of headquarters together towards the portal that led to our homes.

"Well, I'll see you two tomorrow!" Victor waved. "Don't let this whole thing get to ya! We'll work it out somehow!"

"Yeah!" Sharon nodded. "See you tomorrow, Hitomi-sama!"

I bid them good-bye as they stepped through the portal.

_"Will it really be fine?"_ I wondered. I looked down at my hands, then at my feet. In this world, they could stand on their own. But I'd give that up for Taku and father any day.

_"It has to be fine. I have to get back to Taku and father."_

With these thoughts in mind, I stepped through the portal.


	5. Chapter 5

**I am going to skip to the part after the first floor is cleared. Some events may reflect the actual manga/anime, but not entirely.**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**Hotaru**

We will survive.

We will win.

We will make it out alive.

We can do it.

These words were heard all over Aincrad. Everyone would repeat these words to keep them going with the goal to stay alive. They thought that they would be able to miraculously clear the game with little casualties.

But these words were just words of reassurance.

It had taken over a month to clear the first floor. 2,000 players died before that even happened. It's two months after that, and another 1,000 players are dead.

I was officially a solo player, and still didn't have a guild. It was a surprise that I was still alive, since I was all alone. But my skills had improved. That dagger that had suddenly appeared at the beginning of the game was a mystery. When that girl had been attacked, it had just appeared in the fold of my sleeve, and instincts took over.

This was strange, since I was kind of wary around knives. But it had felt as if I had wielded a knife my entire life.

I hadn't helped at all with the clearing of the first floor. More floors had been cleared after that at a quicker rate, but many lives were lost.

Still, a lot of people have grown accustomed to life in Aincrad. Many people settled in homes and got married. There were still people who remained in the Town of Beginnings, not wanting to fight.

I fought, but I wasn't really much of a help. I wasn't anywhere near the front lines and rarely partied with anyone. I never sent any messages to Hitomi, the girl I met earlier. Mostly because I didn't like her.

I had a house on the 35th floor near the Forest of Wanderings where I often hunted. I still wore the black cloak I had chosen at the beginning of the game, but I also had on a black coat lined with blue on the inside that split in half at the end and black boots.

I often practiced my skills in a field behind my neighborhood where not many people practiced. Not too long ago, I found out that I could summon two blades and wield them both at once. I tested it out, then discovered that I could materialize as many as I wanted. I used this skill as an endless supply of throwing knives, something not often used in the game. It was especially helpful for hunting.

Lots of my skills were a mystery. For example, why did my daggers just appear in my sleeves whenever I wanted them? Why can I summon an endless amount of them? Why won't my level still show up? I've defeated countless monsters, but I couldn't see how many xp points I had in all. I didn't even know how high my hp was, since that bar had no number either. All I could see was my green color cursor and name.

I headed out for the field early in the morning to catch myself some lunch for later. The weather setting was fine, and the sky was filled with puffy white clouds. The fields have really tall grass, which makes it easier for monsters to sneak on you. Some of the monsters here were actually at pretty high levels. But I was fine, since I had great reflexes.

I picked a spot where plenty of monsters usually gathered and stood quietly, listening carefully for the slightest noise. It was a while before I heard a light rustling sound a few feet behind me. I whirled around and pulled a knife out of my sleeve. I threw it straight at the blur of white in front of me. A large, fluffy lump fell to the ground, dead. A small icon appeared above it.

**"Leaping Lamb. 20 hp points."**

"Oh, just a lamb." I sighed in disappointment. They weren't the tastiest thing around, but it'd do for now. I saved the body in my storage.

"H-help!"

I was about to kill another lamb when a scream suddenly pierced the air. I scanned the field and spotted a group of people fending off group of large, ape-like monsters with glowing red eyes.

"Tsumiki, switch!" A blonde boy a few years older than me yelled at the fallen girl in front of the apes.

_"Drunken Apes, huh?"_

"S-Saito-san!" The girl cried as one of the apes swiped him away with its giant firsts. "Saito!" A boy with long brown hair ran towards the monsters. He held his shield high in front of his chest and twisted his shoulders so that his sword was held behind his head. He brought his sword down and managed to kill a few of the apes, but they just kept on coming.

_"Just leave."_

I turned around and started walking towards the edge of the forest.

"O-Oshiro-san!" The girl cried. She held up her sword awkwardly, trying to protect her fallen friend from the monsters.

_"How pathetic."_ I thought, but my legs wouldn't move. One of the apes knocked the girl's sword out of her hand. "Tsumiki!" Another boy tried to reach her, but a group of apes stood in his way. The girl grimaced and thrust herself right in front of her friend. The apes kept on advancing.

_"What the hell is she doing? She's gonna get herself killed."_

Something about the way she put herself right in front of her friend, naked of any shield or weapon, made me soften. She was shaking in fear, but stood her ground firmly.

I sighed. _"Guess there's no helping it."_

"Tsumiki, you idiot! Run!" The fallen boy shouted at the girl above him, but she ignored him and continued to stand around like an idiot. One of the Drunken Apes raised his gigantic fist, and with a loud roar, slammed his fist down on the girl. She squeezed her eyes shut and shrieked, waiting for the blow.

I pulled out a knife and leapt in front of her in one big leap. I slashed upwards, and the ape was knocked down onto his butt. He shimmered and broke apart into a thousand of digital pieces.

The girl, who was on her knees, slowly opened her eyes. She looked up at me and gasped.

"You okay?" I asked her. She nodded. "Get outta here. I'll hold them off." She hesitated for a moment, then helped her injured friend escape from the oncoming monsters. Once they were safe, I faced the apes again. "Ugh. Ugly bastards." I muttered under my breath. Apparently, virtual apes understand Japanese, because they seemed to get even angrier. "Come, come." I smiled tauntingly. "I am in quite an energetic mood today."

One of the apes in the front stumbled forward. With a leering smile, I spun sideways. The ape's fist missed my head by a few inches, forming a large crater in the ground. "Oh, my." I chuckled and pivoted on my toes. My dagger made a large cut on the ape's chest. With a roar, it shattered into a million colorful pieces.

"You can't move around with big, meaty hands like that." I chided and slashed through four oncoming apes. Their advances lessened, but more just kept on coming. "Oh, boy." I sneered and stabbed another ape.

"Oi, you!"

The boy with brown hair appeared besides me, sword in hand. He sliced through another bunch of apes. "Oh, arigato." I said lightly. "Pay attention!" He snapped. I took out another knife and threw it at the looming ape behind me, still facing the boy. His eyes widened. "Thanks, again." I said.

_"Stop gaping and start fighting the damn monsters unless you wanna die."_

"Mikage-kun!" A girl with long, wavy red hair was kneeling down besides the fallen blonde boy. "Behind you!"

The brown-haired boy slashed at another ape. "Tch. Where are they all coming from?"

_"Guess I'll end this."_ I reluctantly pulled a knife out of my other sleeve. "Ne, do you mind standing back?" "Eh? Why?" The boy demanded. "Hmmmm…" I tapped my chin. "It'll be quicker if I do it myself, I guess?"

"Wha-" He blinked, then narrowed his eyes. "What are you planning?" "SE-CR-ET." I waved my knife in the air. "Why should I trust you?" The boy said suspiciously. "Hmm, I guess you shouldn't." I mumbled to myself. "You're an idiot, aren't you?" The boy scowled. "Well, you're friends seem to be struggling, and you don't seem to be able to hold all these apes off, so…" I trailed off. The boy's scowl deepened, but he reluctantly stepped back.

"Yoshu." I gripped my two knives firmly and faced the nearest ape.

_"Move, human!"_

_"Those voices again."_ I grimaced.

_"MOVE!"_

_"Tch."_ I resumed a fighting stance. "Claw stream." My knives began to glow. They grew longer and thinner, curving inwards in a long arch. I bent my knees and pushed as hard as I could. I held out my knife and sliced through 6 apes before hitting the ground. "Oh, is that all?" I pouted. "I wanna have more fun!"

_"Insolent brat! Who are you?"_

"Ah, shut up." I jumped up again and sliced the ape's head clean off. One of its friends swiped at me, but I just kicked off the ape's fist and leapt straight through its face. With the other knife, I cut off another ape's arm. One ape ripped through my cloak, which evaporated.

_"Tch. You'll pay for that."_

Ten seconds later, a pile of dead bodies with missing parts exploded in a whirlwind of digital colors.

"Ah, that was nice!" I stretched my arms high in the air. "But that really made me hungry…?" I stopped short. The group I'd just saved was all staring at me in…shock? "Um…"

_"Idiot! Why'd you do that?"_ I silently scolded myself. _"You could've just walked away, idiot!"_ I glanced at the fidgeting shy girl from earlier. She cautiously approached me and bowed awkwardly. "U-um…th-thank you-thank you for saving us!"

_"Save you? That's not what I meant to-"_

"We're grateful." The blonde boy was now on his feet. "Ah, that's not really-" I rubbed the back of my head awkwardly. "You saved us." A girl with long, braided blue hair smiled. "How could we ever repay you?"

"R-repay me?" I thought for a moment. It was then that my stomach began rumbling. "Ah, ha ha ha…" I laughed.

"How about we treat you to lunch?" The short boy in the back with spiky dark hair suggested. "Oh, really?" I beamed. "Sounds nice. I accept!"

"Oi, wait!" The boy with brown hair exclaimed. "H-He's a stranger! Didn't you see those skills? And who uses knives like that?" "Ah, that's because I'm special!" I chirped. This made the guy even more suspicious. "Oh, c'mon, Oshiro!" The blonde guy slapped him in the back. "We owe him this much. He just saved us, ya know?" "He could be a member of Laughing Coffin, for all we know!" The brown-haired boy protested.

_"…Laughing coffin?"_

"How could I be from laughing Coffin?" I laughed. "There's no way! There's just no…Wait, who are they?" "You don't even know?" The brown-haired boy exploded. "Now, now, Oshiro-kun." The girl with red hair calmed him down. "Laughing Coffin is a guild of red players who go around killing other players. They're an infamous guild, feared by others. I'm surprised you haven't heard of them."

"Ah, I guess you could say I'm sort of out of the loop." I laughed nervously again.

"All Laughing Coffin members have a logo on their arm." The blonde boy added. "Oh." I rolled up both of my sleeves and held out my bare arms for them to see. "See? Nothing there." "Oh, there isn't." The red-head examined my arms closer. "You sure are pale, though." "Arigato!" I told her. "That wasn't a compliment!" The brown-haired boy fumed.

"Well, you obviously aren't a Laughing Coffin player." The blonde boy laughed. "Come. We'll treat you to the best food in town." "Yay!" I cheered "Thank goodness, I'm starving!"

_"This is good. Now I don't have to cook that lamb myself."_

They took me to a small restaurant in one of the towns east of the forest. It was pretty crowded, and the food smelled amazing. "Ah, smells nice." I breathed in the scent of grilling meat. A waiter led us to a large table in a separate room.

"The usual, please." The blonde boy told the waiter, who bowed and left to get our food. "This is where we usually eat after our battles." He told me. "Is that so?" I said absentmindedly, too busy nibbling on a loaf of bread. "Oh, we haven't introduced ourselves yet." The blonde boy said with realization. "I'm Saito Inui." **(I'm just pretending players use their real names)**

"She's Sadahara Tsumiki." He gestured to the fidgety girl who sat across from him. "Ah, nice to meet you." She mumbled, her head held low. "I'm Lilia!" The girl with red hair piped up. "And this is Yamaguchi Sera! She's a keeper, don't ya think?" She reached for her breasts, but was interrupted by a flying bowl of rice.

"Keep to yourself, Lilia-san." The blue-haired girl growled. "My name's Kudo Ryoga. You can just call me Ryo." The spiky-haired boy ignored the two girls fighting. "This grump here is Oshiro Mikage. Don't worry, he's always like this. Nothing personal." This earned him a nice punch in the stomach.

"A-as you can see, he's very friendly." Ryo grunted as he slid to the ground.

"Anyway, what's your name?" Lilia asked. "Oh, Takahashi. Takahashi Hotaru." I said. "Well, cheers to Takahashi-kun, who saved us all!" Inui held up his goblet. "Cheers!" The rest of the group besides Mikage raised their goblets.

I laughed nervously. _"I didn't really wish to save you, though."_

"U-um, that s-skill you used back then was amazing." Tsumiki spoke up. "Where'd you learn that?" "I know! I've never seen anyone use knives like that!" Ryo leaned forward. "So? Where's that skill from? I've never seen anything like it!"

"Oh, um…" That skill had just appeared suddenly in my menu a month after the game started. I had no idea where it came from. "No idea." I replied truthfully. "What kind of answer is that?!" Mikage snorted. "Ohhh, what a mysterious guy." Lilia smirked with interest.

"Hmmm…" Inui tapped his chin in thought. "Ne, Takahashi-" "Hotaru is fine." I held up a hand.

"Um, Hotaru-kun…I know this is sudden, but would you like to join our guild?" Inui asked.

"Oh, um…huh?" I blinked.

"You seem like a strong player and could be a great addition to our team. We're all part of the same guild, the Midnight White Wolves. It's small, but we're strong and aiming for the front lines. We all knew each other in the real world, so…ah, but I'm sure you'll fit right in, so…"

"Sorry, I refuse." I smiled.

"Um...huh?" Inui cocked his head.

"You mocking us or something?!" Mikage rose, hand on the hilt of his sword. "Ah, no, no." I shook my head, holding my hands up in defense. "I've just…never joined a guild before, so…"

"Wait, you're a solo player?!" Lilia exclaimed. The rest guild seemed pretty shocked, too. "Huh? Um…yeah…" Being a solo player wasn't exactly something I was proud of. Lots of people thought solo players were snobs who looked down on or couldn't trust others. Well, I guess I am sort of like that.

But I guess these guys were different.

"Whoa, cool!" Ryo beamed. "I heard solo players are really strong."

_"Wait, did he just say being a solo p_layer _is "_cool_"? What's wrong with him?"_

"What's so great about going solo?" Mikage said. "They just look down on others." "He's right." I intervened. "Being a solo player has its disadvantages."

"Then, why are you a solo player?" Sera asked. "I guess I just can't find the right guild." I shrugged. I didn't really favor guilds, but the main reason why I didn't join one was probably because I didn't like people in general. I was afraid of hurting others, I guess.

_"But this is the first time I've been asked to join a guild."_ I realized. It felt kind of good.

"Ne, please?" Lilia begged with wide puppy eyes. She pouted and clasped her hands together. "You seem like you could be really interesting!"

"Um…" I backed away as she leaned closer until I could feel her breath on my face. "Don't force him, Lilia." Inui pulled the girl back down into her seat. I sighed with relief.

_"This guild is pretty small but strong. Like a family."_ A small smile spread across my face. "I guess there's a first time for everything-"

"Yay!" Lilia tackled me with a big hug. "Gah!" I gasped for breath, flapping my arms up and down in surrender. "Welcome to the group, Hotaru." Ryo grinned, slapping me playfully on the back. "Um, instead of welcoming him, shouldn't you save him from suffocation first?" Sera sweat dropped.

"Sorry about her." Inui pried her away from me. "She gets excited a lot."

_"No kidding."_

I glanced at Mikage, who was scowling with his arms crossed. _"It seems he doesn't like me."_

"By the way, what level are you on?" Inui faced me.

Crap. How was I supposed to explain to these guys that I didn't even know my own level?

"Um…" I glanced at their levels. "20, or so…" "Oh, us too!" Ryo flashed another brilliant smile. The waiter arrived with trays of steaming hot food. My mouth watered.

"No need to hold back." Inui let out a hearty laugh. "Let's eat merrily in celebration of our new member!"

"Yeah!"

After eating, we headed for the inn a few blocks down where the small guild normally spent the night. They were low on money, so the boys shared one room and the girls shared the other.

"We're hoping to save up enough col to buy our own house." Inui told me as we got ready for bed. "But for now, we're stuck here." "A house?" I looked up from the sleeping bag I'd been spreading out on the floor. "Oh, if you really need one, I have one in a neighborhood south of the Forest of Wanderings."

"What? Really?" Ryo perked up. "Can we really use it?" "Sure." I shrugged, smiling. "Gee, thanks!" Ryo beamed. "Man, I'm sure glad we added you to the group!"

"Is it really all right?" Inui asked. "Suddenly using your home when we just met you and all…" "It's fine, it's fine." I plopped down onto my sleeping bag. "I'm always out hunting or fighting, so I don't use it that much anyway." "Wow, thanks so much!" Inui said with great gratitude. "Hotaru's such a nice person." Ryo grinned. I laughed.

_"If only you knew the real me."_

"Let's get some sleep all ready, I'm exhausted." Mikage spoke up. I stared at him. I have a feeling that we weren't going to get along very well.

"Mikage-kun." I smiled. "I look forward to working with you."

Anger grew on his face. "Who gave you permission to call me by my first name?" He hurled a pillow at me. Laughing, I ducked.

"Hai, hai, let's sleep." Ryo clapped his hands together. "Oshiro-sama needs his beauty sleep, or else he'll be very grumpy in the morning." "Shut up, bastard!" Mikage threw another pillow at Ryo's face. This time , he didn't miss.

"Settle down, you two." Inui scrolled through the room settings and turned off the lights. We all crawled under our covers until, one by one, we slowly drifted off.

_"So this is a guild, huh? Seems nice."_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Hitomi**

"Switch!"

A tall boy with shaggy blonde hair yelled at me. I sliced through one last monster before falling back. "Hito-chan!" Victor called out from a few feet away. He was surrounded by monsters along with a girl with long, greenish-blonde hair in pigtails. I hefted my sword and dived in. With the sharp side facing upwards, I whirled around, slicing through a numerous number of monsters.

"Thanks, Hito-chan!" Victor grinned. "I told you to stop calling me that." I grunted and killed another three monsters. "We're almost done!" Sharon shouted from her position behind us. "Watch out!" Akira, the blonde-haired boy, cried out. Sharon barely managed to dodge the claws of the monster in front of her.

"Pay more attention if you don't want to lose your life, Sharon-chan." Victor swung his axe. "S-sumemasen." Sharon apologized.

I slashed through the last monster and scanned the area. "Nothing here." I sighed. We were fighting through one of the dungeons in search for some rare items, but nothing could be found. The surroundings were all dark-colored, a mix of black, blue, and purple, with bare, skeleton-like trees and doors to various rooms. "We should head back to headquarters." The girl with pigtails, Mary, suggested. "I guess so." I slid my sword back into its sheath on my waist. Exhausted, we took out our teleportation crystals.

It's been over three months since the game started and Kayaba Akihiko declared the game to be a real-life battlefield. We've been fighting on the front lines, clearing floors and fighting new bosses. Even though clearing floors was getting easier, more and more people were dying. The number of suicides and murders were also increasing. We being the Black Vampire Bats, one of the most honored guilds in the game, our top priority was clearing all the floors with as little lives lost as possible. But that wasn't going so good so far.

I needed to get out of this game. Taku and father must be worried sick. Every night I went to bed, every moment I woke up, and every battle I fought, images of father stressing out and Taku weakly tending to me in his terrible condition would appear in my mind. It just made me feel worse.

Victor, Sharon, Mary, and Akira were all my vice-commanders. It was how our system worked in this guild. We often partied and went on missions together and were even closer, like friends. Before the game, we had chatted online frequently, but before we entered Sword Art Online, we had never met face to face.

Sharon was the first person I met in the game. She was sweet and kind, but sort of an airhead. Despite her looks, she was an excellent fighter. Victor could be annoying, but he's good at lightening up the mood and provides great back-up. Akira had sort of a temper, like a prickly thorn, but he had some good qualities, and was great in battle.

Honestly, Mary and I didn't get along well. She was quite stuck-up, like a queen, and spoiled. But she did care for everyone deep down, which was why I appointed her vice-commander. Her fighting was also top-notch.

We teleported ourselves to the front of the Black Vampire Bat's headquarters located on the 40th floor. "Welcome back, commander. Welcome back, vice-commanders." The guards at the entrance bowed. "Anything to report?" I asked. "A party spotted some Laughing Coffin members in town, but they didn't cause much of a ruckus." One guard reported.

"Was anyone hurt?"

"There were minor injuries, but everyone is fine."

"Laughing Coffin again, huh?" Victor said with his serious face on. Despite how he acts, he has his moments. "They're really becoming a hassle, aren't they?"

"You are dismissed." I told the guards. "Please bring out the next guards in line." "Hai!" The guards bowed again and left.

"Laughing Coffin scares me." Sharon shivered. "Who'd want to be part of such a terrible guild?"

I agreed with her. Laughing Coffin was a group of players who killed other players in tortuous ways. They were one of the biggest problems for our guild, and they pissed me off.

"Well, let's deal with that later." Mary ran her hands through her long hair. "I'm worn out. My uniform's also torn up."

"Let's go eat. I'm starving!" Victor whined. "I guess it's about time." I agreed.

The building was of an old medieval-design surrounded by a perimeter of tall walls with watchtowers all around for look-outs. We had many opponents, so we always needed to be on guard. We climbed up the wind of stone stairs to the third floor where my office was. We often had our meetings or simply hung out here. I had my desk in the middle, surrounded by two other desks on each side where the vice-commanders sat. Large, color-stained windows on the wall behind the desks overviewed the entire front of the building. The nearby towns could also be seen. We also had a table in the center for eating, and some couches and sofas for relaxing. Each of our rooms was also connected to the office on the sides.

"Ah, finally." Victor opened up his menu and produced five sandwiches from his storage. "Here. I just got them this morning." He handed a sandwich to each of us before taking a big bite out of his. "Eat slower or you'll choke, you pig." Mary gagged. "Do' ca' me a pi', you bihg." "I don't know what you're saying, pig." Mary stuck out her tongue. "He said "Don't call me a pig, you bitch." I said absentmindedly. "You understood him?" Akira raised an eyebrow. I shrugged. "I've gotten used to Victor language."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Victor demanded after swallowing his food. I said nothing. Irritated, her grabbed a juice from the table and gulped it down in a loud, obnoxious way.

"Hey, that's mine!" Mary exclaimed. "No, it's not." Victor placed the goblet on the table and picked up another. He took a sip out of it. "_This _one's yours." "Idiot!" Mary fumed and snatched the goblet away. "Ugh, now I can't drink this. I'll get poisoned and die."

The two began quarrelling nonstop. "P-please stop fighting!" Sharon intervened, but to no avail. "Argh, shut up! You're too loud!" Akira moaned. "You're giving me a headache." "Shut up!" Victor and Mary said at the same time.

_"It's amazing how in-sync those two are."_ I sighed and rubbed my head. _"How annoying."_

But this was how our group usually was. We constantly argued as friends, not co-commanders. It felt so different from my life in the real world, as if I were an entirely different person. Here in Aincrad, I was the leader of a strong guild, surrounded by friends, followers, and admirers. Back home, I was a disabled girl who couldn't even stand on her own and was constantly laughed at. My vice-commanders were the only people I could really trust in this game.

We even knew glimpses of each other's pasts. Sharon had a fear of water due to her sister's death from drowning. Victor had been moved around constantly all over the world without parents before settling in Japan. Mary had moved to Japan from England for some unknown reason. Akira was a delinquent feared and misunderstood by others. Everyone knew about my disability, but nothing before that.

Mary shrieked. "Ew! You got tomato in my hair! I'm going to kill you!" She unsheathed her sword. "Oi, calm down or you'll actually kill each other." I looked up from my sandwich.

"But-" They both protested. "Sheathe your weapons. That's an order. Or I'll do it for you." I threatened. Reluctantly, they put their weapons away. "So cold and bossy as usual, baka-hime." I scowled at the mention of the nickname she gave me **(stupid princess, ****Hi****tome, ****Hi****me)**. "You shouldn't fight at the table, mou!" Sharon puffed her cheeks in anger, which, honestly, looked way more cute than angry.

Akira seemed just about ready to slice their heads off of their necks when one of the guards from the watchtowers burst in.

"Commander! There's a group of members of the Divine Dragon Alliance requesting a meeting with you at the front!" The man panted.

"Nani?" I stood and peered out the window. Sure enough, a group of silver-armored men were waiting outside. I spotted a young man in the front. "Is that a new commander?"

"Hai. Seems he was only recently selected." The man replied.

The Divine Dragon Alliance was one of our top rivals. They wished for power, battling with us for the title of the strongest guild. They cleared many floors, but their strategies were completely different from ours. They were much more secretive and less considerate of other guilds and players.

"A new commander?" Akira peered out the window besides me. "Well, it's about time they got rid of that damn old man." Victor joined us. "Rumors have it that he was killed while trying to clear one of the floors." The watchman said. "Killed?" Sharon gasped. "Serves him right." Mary sneered.

"What shall we do, commander?" The watchman asked me. I thought for a moment. They were dressed in armor, but I could see no weapons on them. They even had white flags of peace in their hands.

_"What could they possibly want?"_

"Fine. Let them in." I decided. "Inspect them thoroughly first, though."

"Very well." The watchman bowed and left the room.

"Oi, oi, oi, are you sure?" Victor asked. "This could all be some trick" "They seem to come in peace." I watched as the guards at front began checking the men for any tricks up their sleeves. "Besides, I want to meet this new commander of theirs."

A few minutes later, we heard a knocking on the door. A guard opened the door and bowed. "The men from the Divine Dragon Alliance request a neutral meeting." "Let them enter." I commanded. "Very well." The guard bowed again and left the room. A group of tall, buff men with shiny silver armor and hard helmets entered the room with loud clanking sounds from their big boots. "Welcome, Divine Dragon Alliance." I stepped forward. "This is quite an unexpected visit. Where is this new commander I have heard of?"

"Here." A voice from the back replied. The men parted, leaving an open path for the commander. He strode through and bowed his head. "I am the new commander of the Divine Dragon Alliance." He stood up straight, revealing an all too familiar face. I gasped.

The commander grinned playfully. "Yo."

"Y-Yuta?!"

* * *

Yuta dismissed his men, ordering them to wait outside. They obeyed immediately and left the room. "Sorry about those guys. They may seem menacing, but that's just how they look." Yuta said sheepishly.

"Y-Yuta?" I stammered. "Is that really you?" "Yep." Yuta nodded. "Nice to see you again, Hito-chi." "He a friend of yours?" Akira asked. I realized the vice-commanders all had their hands on their weapons.

"Stand down. He's some guy I knew from the real world." I ordered them. They eyed Yuta warily but released their weapons. "Some guy you knew?" Yuta pouted. "Still so cold, huh, Hito-chi?"

"What are you doing here?" I ignored his question. "Ah, I just wanted to see you so badly!" Yuta chirped. "I only just heard you were the commander of the Black Vampire Bats, and boy, was I surprised! But, when it comes to video games, you're a total master, right?"

"I thought you had no interest in video games?" I inquired. "I didn't, at first." Yuta admitted. "But after hearing you go on about them so much, I decided to try it."

"Aw, you spread on your video game otaku germs." Victor teased. I punched him in the stomach. "Well, since you're here, have a seat. I'll prepare some tea." I said, ignoring the doubled-over Victor.

Once we were seated and the tea was given out, I introduced everyone. "These are my vice-commanders; Sharon, Akira, Mary, and that idiot, Victor." "Hey!" Victor exclaimed. I ignored him once again. "Everyone, this is Yuta. He went to school with me in the real world."

"Wow, you have so many friends." Yuta whistled. "Are you really the Hitomi I know?" "Shut up." I scowled. "Anyway, since when did you become the commander of the Divine Dragon Alliance?" "Oh, about a few weeks ago." Yuta replied. "I defeated the old commander in a duel."

"A duel?!" Sharon gasped. "But he's one of the best lancers in Aincrad!" "I thought he was killed." Akira added. "That's just a rumor to hide his embarrassment." Yuta scoffed. "That old man is just full of pride." "You must be strong, then." Mary noted. "I wouldn't say strong." Yuta laughed modestly. "Why did you take the role of commander?" I asked.

"Well, I guess I could've chosen a better guild." Yuta took his cup of tea and slowly sipped from the rim. "The Divine Dragon Alliance may be strong, but they're sort of jerks. I thought maybe I could change that. That's why I'm here." "What are you talking about?" I took a sip of tea from my cup as well.

"I want to combine our guilds."

I choked on my tea. "Wh-what?" "You mean for the Black Vampire Bats and Divine Dragon Alliance to become one guild?!" Akira exclaimed. "That's absurd!" Yuta portrayed his usual laid-back expression. "How?"

"For starters, who would be able to lead such a guild?" Mary pointed out. "There would be way too many people!" "Why, Hito-chi and I, of course." Yuta smiled as if it were nothing. "You all can remain vice-commanders as well." "I don't know if you've noticed, but our guilds sort of had each other." Victor snorted. "How do you plan on solving all those arguments?" ""There should be no enemies in this world" Yuta leaned leisurely on his sofa. "We should be able to work together. We are very strong guilds. If combined, we may be able to clear all the floors."

_"Become one with the guild we've always hated?"_ This seemed impossible. I personally didn't like the Divine Dragon Alliance myself. They were ruthless, and would do anything to get their hands on rare items.

_"But this is Yuta. He's reliable…No. I can't let my personal interest interfere with this matter." _

"I'm sorry, Yuta." I stood. "But this idea seems quite impossible. It would make matters worse. Let us continue working our separate ways to clear the floors." "Wouldn't this be seen as plain obstinacy?" Yuta inquired. "Others may find the Black Vampire Bats to be too full of themselves." "Why, you-" Akira grabbed his sword. I held out my arm in a gesture of halt. "I do not agree with your ideas." I said with an edge to my tone. There was no way this could work. And even if this was Yuta, it could be some sort of trick. "We may be able to cooperate at some times, but joining forces completely is something I can't accept. Now, if that is all you have to say, please take your leave."

Yuta seemed hesitant, as if not wanting to leave, but he eventually gave up. "I'll let you reflect on your decision for a while. If you still do not agree to cooperate in the future, then I will simply leave you alone." And with that, he walked out the door, followed by his men.

"Wow, what a surprise! Our commander's boyfriend is the new commander of the Divine Dragon Alliance!" Victor flopped down on the couch, letting his arm hang limply over the edge. "This could be a problem." "He's not my boyfriend!" I pummeled him with a pillow until feathers flew. He was right, though. This could be a problem. If people found out I knew Yuta, they would see this as a commander betraying her guild.

"Don't worry." I finished pounding Victor with a pillow, who had yelled for surrender a thousand times already. "Yuta is just a friend from school. We weren't even that close, anyway."

"Ohhh, are you sure?" Mary inched closer, sneering. "Cuz I saw that lovesick face earlier!" "Wha-" I stammered. I could feel my face grow hot. "Ah, see! She's blushing, now!" Victor pointed accusingly.

"Shut up, both of you!" I roared. I ran my fingers through my long dark hair, trying to hide my red face. "Anyway, I need to visit the blacksmith in town. My sword needs some repairs." "Oh, my axe needs some fixing, too!" Victor jumped up from under the pile of feathers. "I have some papers to work out with Mary, so I'll see you guys later" Mikage headed for the door, Mary following behind. "Oh, I'll help!" Sharon stumbled after them.

"Well, guess it's just you and me, Hito-chi." Victor grinned. I sighed. At this point, I didn't care what he called me anymore. We changed into more appropriate attire for walking through town and teleported out of the headquarters.

While walking through town, all I could think about was Yuta. He had started playing video games. For me. The thought made my chest tingle. He had always been so nice, listening to my every word and protecting me from the people who constantly teased me, and now he had joined Sword Art Online to be with me.

_"I'm sure Yuta won't be a problem. In fact, I'm glad he's here."_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Hotaru**

I always thought that guilds would be cramped, as if you had no personal space or freedom. I had always seen them as extra weight, other people dragging you down as you struggle to move forward.

And in a way, I was right. But the Midnight White Wolves were an exception.

At first, they seemed like a carefree group of friends who didn't seem that determined to do much. But later, I realized that they really wanted to reach the front lines. "We may not be that strong, but we want to help all we can." Inui once told me. "We've helped clear a few floors, but we aren't exactly there yet."

It was then that I realized that, even though they were a small, ragtag guild, they were really strong. They were fighting as hard as they could while holding onto their friendship. They'd laugh and play during missions but still battle with such determination. I soon began to admire them and loathe that warm feeling of a family that they all shared. Even though they welcomed me, I still felt like the oddball of the group.

I got along with all the guild members, especially Tsumiki. Inui asked me to train her since her sword skills weren't all that great. He asked if I could teach her how to use a dagger, thinking that she may be better off with a smaller weapon.

On our first day, I led her to the empty field near my house. I leant her one of my daggers, which she held awkwardly in shaky hands. "Don't be so stiff! I'm your teammate, right?" I laughed. "Now, watch how I hold the dagger." I fixed my grip on the hilt of the knife and took a fighting stance. Tsumiki slowly followed. "You're thin and light on your feet, so try moving on the balls of your feet. You have to leap as forward as you can possibly go, and swipe downwards diagonally like this." I demonstrated. I bent my knees slightly and launched off my toes, cutting through the air, and landed on my toes again. "You try."

"U-um, okay." Tsumiki bent her knees way too far and jumped. With a weak grip, she tried slicing through the air, but ended up tripping on a rock. With a yelp, she tumbled to the floor. "Ha ha ha. I guess you can't get it right away." I grabbed her arm and helped her up onto her feet. "Dagger-use isn't that popular, after all." "I don't think I can do this." Tsumiki looked down at her boots sheepishly.

_"Man, she's cute. There's no way she's gonna survive that long, though."_ The scene where she jumped straight in front of Inui the day I first met her flashed in my mind. This girl actually had some guts. "Yes, you can. Remember when I first met you?" I smiled reassuringly. "You were so cool back then! Try and be as brave as you were back then."

"B-brave?" Tsumiki squeaked. "Um, that wasn't…" She trailed off. "Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it." I assured her. "Let's try again."

After a few more failed attempts, we received a message from Lilia calling us back to the house for dinner. We hurried back as fast as we could, only thinking about fresh food in our bellies.

The Midnight White Wolves had made themselves home in my once deserted house. They'd bought a cheap yet comfy set of new furniture and painted the walls a bright blue to lighten up the setting. The dusty windows had been cleaned till they sparkled. Sera, who had mastered her gardening skill, had even planted flowers in the front that could be viewed from inside.

"Yo, guys! How was training?" Inui greeted us at the door. "Fun! She needs to work hard, though." I replied. Tsumiki blushed. "Work hard!" Ryo cheered. "The food's almost ready. Please have a seat." Sera gestured to the table where plain silverware had been set. We took our seats and waited for Sera to bring out the food.

"How was your day, Mikage-kun?" I asked Mikage, who was sitting next to me. "Stop calling me that!" Mikage growled. "Ah, sorry, Mi-Oshiro-kun." I giggled. Mikage and I still didn't get along well. He was grouchy and seemed pretty ticked off whenever I was in the room. It might've been because of that one time when I drew on his face while he was sleeping. I had a marker, he was asleep. It was just too tempting.

_"This guy's annoying me as well."_

"Why not? Aren't we friends?" I pouted. "As if!" Mikage snapped.

_"Not like I want to be, anyway."_

"Don't be so mean!" Lilia scolded playfully. "Hotaru-kun's such a nice person!" With a squeal, she wrapped herself around my arm. I'd gotten used to Lilia's death hugs, but they still hurt. "Stop it, Lilia-san Dinner's ready." Sera set down a pot of steaming beef stew in the center of the table. Drooling, we helped ourselves.

"Delicious as usual, Sera-san!" I beamed. "Arigato." Sera flashed me a smile. "I'm exhausted!" Ryo complained through a mouthful of bread. "Lilia and I partied with some members from Furinkazaan in the dungeons. We didn't find anything interesting, though." "Ryo found a hot girl, though." Lilia rolled her eyes. "He was hitting one of the female members the entire mission." "She was smoking hot!" Ryo beamed. This earned him a smack on the head from Sera. "Anyway," She said with a sigh. "We're almost out of ingredients. Could someone got into town and buy some for me?"

"Oh, me!" I volunteered. "I have to get some stuff for myself, anyway." "Oshiro, why don't you join him?" Inui suggested. "What? Why?!" Mikage protested. "Do you really hate him that much?" Inui smirked. "This'll be a good chance for you two to get along for once." Ryo stirred his stew with his spoon. "Maybe all your quarreling will start to lessen." "C'mon, Oshiro-kun, go with me!" I pleaded. "It'll be fun, like friends hanging out or something!"

_"I really don't want to go with him. Anyone but this bastard."_

"Fine. Guess I have no choice." Mikage huffed. He washed down the contents of his goblet.

We headed out after helping clear the table. To get to the closest town, we had to walk halfway around the Forest of Wanderings. We walked with a ten feet distance between us, Mikage striding in front. I honestly hated him just as much has he hated me, but that was the real me. The me he knew was fun and cheerful and just plain annoying.

"Ne, ne, Oshiro-kun." I caught up with him. He ignored me and continued walking. "How do you and the rest of the guild know each other?" "Haven't we told you a million times?" Mikage groaned. "We were all part of the Student Cultural Society at school." "What's that?" I cocked my head. Mikage sighed. "You seriously are an idiot."

I never really paid attention to anything related to school. I just showed up, went to class, and left. I never had any thought of joining any clubs. "I've never joined a club or anything." I admitted truthfully. Mikage stopped and studied me with his sharp blue eyes. "W-what is it, Oshiro-kun?" I shrunk under his gaze. "You're one mysterious guy." Mikage observed. "Huh? Why?" I continued walking.

"You just seem like the type of person who gets along well with others." Mikage began kicking around a pebble he'd located on the path. "Why is a guy like you a solo player?" "Why not?" I tried playing innocent as I kicked the pebble out of his reach. I stuck out my tongue, and he scowled. "What do you mean?" Mikage said gruffly. "You're so…friendly, I guess. The type of guy who goes along with anything. Very easygoing."

I paused for a moment. This is the first guy who's asked me something like this. No one ever questioned why a guy like me had no friends. And I could see something in his eyes…envy?

"Is that what you think?" I stared off into the trees beyond. "I'm pretty sure that's what everyone thinks." Mikage stated bluntly. I began to laugh. "I guess you're right. Aren't I good?" "Hmm? At what?" Mikage raised an eyebrow questioningly.

I held out my arms and arched my head so that I was facing the sun. I whirled around halfway and leaned my head against my hands. "Acting." "Hah? What are you saying, idiot?" Mikage suddenly seemed interested in me.

_"Why the sudden interest?"_

"The guy you see me as…" I faced him again and grinned through my long bangs. "isn't me." This seemed to confuse the oh-so-wonderful Mikage. Without waiting for a reply, I kept on walking, humming a merry tune until I spotted the town not too far away.

"Maybe you're not as much of an idiot as I thought."

"Hm?' I turned around to find Mikage observing me once again.

_"What's with this guy?"_

I laughed lightly. "What? One minute you hate me, and now you're complimenting me? Aw, Oshiro-kun is finally worrying about me!"

"Shut up, you!" Mikage whacked me in the head. "That hurt, Oshiro-kun." I pouted.

"Mikage."

"Eh?" I stopped rubbing my head.

"We're in the guild members, right? So, Mikage is fine" He averted my gaze.

"S-Seriously?" I beamed "Ha ha! I can call Mikage by his given name now! I'm so happy! Then, call me Hotaru! Like friends!"

Mikage scowled. "Ah! We're here! C'mon, Mikage!" I began to run. "Slow down, brat." Mikage leisurely trailed behind me.

_"You're the brat, here."_

It didn't take us long to find all the items on the list Sera had given us. We were about to leave, but then Mikage stopped by a small blacksmith's shop in a less crowded part of town.

"Huh? Where're you going?" I asked. "My weapons need some repairs." Mikage opened the door, the bell ringing as we stepped inside. "Huh? They seem fine." I observed his perfectly normal sword and shield. Then I noticed the look on his face.

"Welcome!" A girl with long orange hair emerged from the back room "Ah, why if it isn't Mika-kun!"

I snorted. "Mika-kun?' Mikage glared at me. "H-Hey, Rima."

_"Oh-ho. Is this…"_ I snickered.

"Oh, who's this?' Rima faced me. She was cute, with rosy cheeks and bright blue eyes. I smiled.

"A friend of Mika-kun's?" The girl cocked her head. "He's a new member." Mikage replied. "Oh, is that so?" She smiled sweetly at me. "Nice to meet you. My name is Rima."

"Yo! I'm Hotaru!" I introduced myself Nice to meet you, Mrs. Oshiro!"

Her pink cheeks grew deeper. Mikage punched me hard on the head. "Ow!" I yelped. "Shut your mouth, you freaking bastard!" Mikage was seething with rage. I dragged him towards the corner of the shop.

"Ne ne ne!" I poked Mikage teasingly. "Who's the girl? She's cute! Unfair, to think Mikage has a girl! She even gave you a nickname!"

"She's not-!" Mikage snapped he faltered then regained his composure. "Sh-she's a childhood friend from the real world." "Ah, I see. Childhood friends." I nodded. "The typical romantic story. One minute you're childhood friends and then, bam! You're together forever." "Shut up!" Mikage hit me on the head again.

_"So he's this type of guy, huh? He actually has a soft side."_ He was actually blushing. I guess he wasn't as tough as he looked.

"Did you need anything?" Rima asked from behind. "Ah, my weapons need a little repairing" Mikage whirled around. "Oh, ok. Come into the back and I'll have a look at them." Rima motioned for him to follow her into the back room. I gave him a little shove.

"Good luck, _Mika-kun_!" I grinned. He scowled at me one more time before walking into the room.

I peeked through the doorway. They seemed to be chatting like a normal couple, as if the weapons on the table didn't exist. Mikage was actually smiling. He even laughed once. His normally tight face was much more softer.

_"This is the first time I haven't seen him so grouchy." _I chuckled slightly to myself.

After what felt like hours of lovey-dovey chit-chat, we left.

"So, how was it, Mikage?" I leaned into his shoulder. "Confess? Propose? Gonna have sex?" He just punched me in the gut.

"Ah, it's so late!" I moaned, my arms loaded with heavy bags. "Ne, Mikage, wanna carry these for me?" "As if!" Mikage growled from behind his own share of bags. "Let's just hurry up before any monsters show up!"

We made our way down the same path we came, tripping and stumbling occasionally in the dark. "Oshir-kun, are you scared of the dark?" I asked him from behind. "Of course not!" Mikage barked. "Oh, really, cuz-" I stopped short. "Oi, move it." Mikage stopped next to me "What is it-" "Get down!" I ordered. Before he could react, I dropped my bags and tackled him to the ground. A flash of light whizzed past the area where we once were and hit a tree on our far right. I examined the weapon. A knife.

"Who's there?" I pulled out a dagger and searched the shadows for any signs of movement, but all I got was silence. "Watch out!" Another knife suddenly appeared in front of me. Mikage pulled out his shield. The blade pierced halfway through the metal, only inches away from my face. Four cloaked figures emerged from the shadows.

"Oh, look, they're just kids." One of the cloaked figures cackled. Their hoods concealed their faces. They each had similar swords and some sort of tattoo on their arms. I squinted to examine the tattoo closer.

_"I remember that symbol. Inui showed it to me once…"_

"Laughing Coffin!" Mikage exclaimed with a tight, grim expression. "Oh, so you know us?" A tall man with a deep, gravelly voice sneered beneath the hood of his cloak. "Well, we are quite famous, you know!" "Do you want anything?" I asked. "Cuz we sort of have to get home, so if you could just-"

"Maybe you haven't heard of us, brat." The man in the front interrupted. "We are not known for letting our prey escape."

_"They're planning on killing us?"_

"Oh? Is that so?" I gripped my knife. "Stop, you idiot." Mikage hissed. "You have no idea how strong these guys are." "Ah, you're right, I don't." I smiled.

_"These guys are feared all over Aincrad. They must be pretty strong."_ I examined the color cursors above their heads. They were all bright red. Beneath the cursors were their full hp bars and levels, which were all around 40 or so.

"Since you're just brats, we'll be nice and make sure your death is short and less painful." The Laughing Coffin members drew their swords.

_"Level 40? That's freakin high! Then again, I don't know what level I am myself…"_

"Oi, oi, are you seriously thinking of fighting these guys?" Mikage tried holding me back. "This is just-"

"Don't get in my way, bastard." I snapped without thinking. Mikage backed away, shocked. I silently scolded myself for blurting out such cold words before facing the Laughing Coffin members. With gleeful cries, they attacked.

I pivoted on the heels of my feet and ducked. The cloaked man in front of me swung his sword, barely missing my head. I adjusted my grip so that the blunt side of the blade was facing upwards and swung at the man's stomach. With a grunt, he stumbled backwards.

Another member attacked me from the left. I sidestepped and swung upwards, making a cut on his left arm. Mikage was busy fending off another few Laughing Coffin members on my right. The two that I had just attacked quickly recovered and lunged at the same time. I held out a blade in each hand and swiped upwards, but the blow only slowed them down. I glanced at Mikage out of the corner of me eye. He seemed to struggling just as I was, swinging his sword wildly and blocking as many blows with his shield as he could.

"We should make a run for it." I suggested. Mikage, with a scowl, swiped at another cloaked man. "Ya think?"

_"But they'll just follow us"_ I gritted my teeth. _"They may even have comrades spread out just in case we attempted to escape."_

"Let's-" "I froze. I could sense something lurking in the shadows behind us. Probably just some more Laughing Coffin members.

_"Use us."_

"Did you say something?" I asked Mikage. His scowl just deepened. "Get it together."

_"Use us."_

_"There it is again."_ I looked around. It wasn't really the time for strange hallucinating voices.

_"You can use them."_

The voice made me falter. The Laughing Coffin member I had been fighting saw his chance and attacked. I doubled over from the large blow to my gut. He quickly brought his sword up above my back. The blade was only inches away from my body when I came to my senses and brought my knife back up. I barely managed to block the blow and staggered to my knees.

I cursed myself for not paying attention before noticing an icon had popped up in front of me. "Huh? What the-" I squinted to read the icon.

**"Raven tamer."**

_"Huh? What's this?"_ I read the icon again. A new skill? Raven Tamer. I've never heard of it before. I searched through the list on my menu.

_"It isn't here. So, what…?"_

"Oi, Takahashi!" Mikage's voice snapped me back to reality. "Behind you!" I turned my attention towards the cloaked figure sneaking up behind me and leapt out of the sword's path. "Guess I'll use this…" Mikage muttered to himself and scrolled through his menu. He clicked an icon and activated his **"Great Knight Skill."** His sword and shield began glowing in his arms, and he attacked. He whirled around and slashed at the circle of men surrounding him. They held up their swords and shields in defense.

_'That won't be enough."_ I pursed my lips in desperation. I turned back to the new skill. _"I guess it's worth a shot…"_ Hesitant, I clicked the skill with my finger.

_"Finally."_

I gasped. The voices were speaking to me from the shadows in the trees behind me. _"You have the power to use us."_ "Who are you?" I asked in annoyance. "The man who's gonna kill you if you don't get a move on!" Mikage called out from beneath the pile of Laughing Coffin members on top of him. "O-Oh, sorry." I said sheepishly. I turned my attention back to the source of the strange voices. I could sense something growing. My hands were starting to shake.

"O-Oi…" Mikage seemed to notice me spacing off.

_"It's simple. Just destroy them. Just destroy them all."_ The whispering voices grew louder. _"You can just destroy them. You can. You can…"_

The shadows seemed to ripple. A flock of black birds emerged, screeching and flapping their feathery wings. "What the-" Mikage grunted, shielding his face from the birds.

_"Ravens?"_ Was this **Raven Tamer**?

"W-what the heck am I supposed to do with a bunch of birds?" I mumbled.

_"Just let us take care of them."_ The ravens told me. In sync, they flew above us in a large circle of dark feathers and swooped down. The Laughing Coffin members cried out as the ravens began pecking wildly at their heads and yanking their hair.

"What the-" Mikage staggered back. "What the heck are these?!" A Laughing Coffin member swatted at a cloud of birds above his head. One of the raven's let out a loud, high-pitched screech and dived downwards. "H-Hey! What are they-" The raven flew straight through the man He screamed in pain and dissolved.

_"Wh-what?"_

The battle momentarily ceased. Everyone stared in shock the ravens continued cawing and flying around in a frenzy.

_"N-no, this wasn't what I mean to do. I-"_

_"Why not? No one can tell you what to do."_

I turned around. All the ravens were staring straight at me with glowing red eyes.

_"Those eyes, they're…"_

_"We are you."_

I felt my fingers grow numb, and my knives barely slipped from my hands. These ravens were starting to scare me I could feel panic arising in my chest.

_"We are all one. We are all you."_ Many voices spoke in unison. _"You are just like us, right?"_

_"Just like you?"_

_You control us. You-"_

"Shut up" I growled. "I don't know what the hell you damn chickens are talking about, but just shut up."

"Th-these are your doing, right?" The Laughing Coffin members were starting to recover from their shock. "Y-you killed him. How dare you…only we are allowed to kill!"

The Laughing Coffin cried out and attacked. This time they were even stronger with the motive to avenge their fallen comrade.

_"Use us. You can simply kill them all."_

"Not a chance in hell." I scowled.

_"But this isn't good. We can't hold them off for long."_ I scanned the mini battle. I was now back-to-back with Mikage, surrounded by more Laughing Coffin members that had poured in from the dark.

We both stepped forward and fought back as hard as we could, but it was no use. We were exhausted, and it was two against a whole group. We were complete goners.

"Ah!"

I held off a blow with the hilt of my blade and looked over my shoulder. Mikage had falled to the ground. His sword and shield were out of reach, and a sword was pointed directly at his throat.

"He he he." The man above him softly chuckled. "I'll stab a thousand holes into you until you die!" With a roar, he pointed his sword straight down. Without thinking, I abandoned the men I was fighting and dashed forwards. While running, I felt time slow down.

_"What am I doing?"_

The man brought the sword down towards Mikage. Helpless, he raised his arms and closed his eyes shut.

_"This guy-"_

His determined face in battle flashed in my mind. The way he fought. The way he smiled and laughed with Rima. He had a life. Friends. Someoone he loved.

_"And I…"_

I jumped forward without thinking.

I'm a selfish person. I only think for myself. When people are hurting and in pain, I just walk away.

_"But these people…"_

The Midnight White Wolves Honestly, I envied them. Their unity made me long for something like a family. I thought I hated them. But, really…

I grabbed Mikage's arm and hauled him onto his feet. I brought up my knife and tried to block the oncoming sword. The blades met with a clash. I was shaking under the heavy pressure of the sword. The sword soon slipped past my knife. I sprinted forward, heaving Mikage along with me. But I was too slow. The blade slightly grazed my shoulder, then pierced deep into my back. I winced in pain. Bright red blood spurted out of my mouth. I pulled as hard as I cold and stumbled to the ground along with Mikage.

Red-hot pain sprouted in my back and spread all over my body. I gritted my teeth so hard that I could hear them through my pounding ears.

My vision was blurring, and I could feel my consciousness slipping away. I could faintly see the Laughing Cabin members fathered above me.

_"Wait…am I dying?"_ The feeling in my body was slowly fading away. _"Is this how it ends?"_

_"Well, whatever."_ I sighed in my head. _"I'll just die quietly and escape this damn world. There'll be no one I'm leaving behind anyway, so…"_

"hashi…-san…Taka…Takahashi-san!"

_"Huh"_ I looked up and found a blurry face staring down at me with worry. _"Who's that?"_

"Takhashi-san! Can you hear me? Takahashi-san!"

"Tsumiki…san?" Her face soon came into view. Tears were streaming down her face.

_"Huh? Why is she crying?"_

"Oi, Hotaru!"

Another face popped into view.

"Mi-Mikage…"

No, that couldn't be him. He would never be that worried about me, right?

"Hotaru!"

Inui, Lilia, Sera, and Ryo's voice crowded the rest of my eyesight.

_"Every…one?"_

"Hotaru! Can you hear us?"

"Oi, hang on!"

"Takahashi-san!"

_"They're all shouting my name. What's with these guys?"_

Their faces were slowly beginning to fade away. Their voices were growing faint.

_"They're…worried about me…why?"_

"Takahashi, get a hold of yourself, oi!"

_"So noisy…"_ I began to drift off. _"These guys are so stupid…_

_"So stupid for caring about me."_


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks for all your support so far! I'll be working on my fanfics all Winter Break so make sure to check up for updates!  
I'd appreciate as many followers and reviews as possible! :)  
Also, should I do a wider variety of POVs? I may do some chapters from te POVs of members of the Black Vampire Bats and Midnight White Wolves. Please tell me what you think! :D**

Chapter 8

**Hitomi**

****

I didn't want to admit it, but knowing that Yuta was here made me feel a little better in this death world.  
He visited as often as he could, claiming security back at headquarters was poor so he had no problem sneaking out. I had missed his easy-going, calm, composed personality. All the stress built up from keeping the Guild under order was killing me, but being with Yuta made me forget about it all.

Sharon and Mary have been constantly teasing me about him, though. There was no way I could possibly have feelings for Yuta. He was just a friend. Plus, me being leader of the Black Vampire backs and hin being leader of the Holy Dragon Alliance, there was no way a relationship would work out.

We spent most of our days in the dungeons or on the front lines fighting. Clearing floors had become much easier than before, and many guilds were growing stronger as more people leveled up.

But many people weren't even willing to move their lazy asses out of the Town of Beginnings, which I found to be stupid. We needed all the help we could get, and all those bastards were just lying around as if they really lived there.

But this wasn't the real world. And I needed to get back Taku and father. They had no time to be worried about me.

"Iura!"

I looked up from the pile of papers I was sorting through at my desk. Akira had slipped into my office unnoticed, as usual. That guy always popped up out of nowhere. One time he scared the hell outta me and I was only inches away from slicing his throat.

"Come in normally for once." I scowled.

Out of everyone, I think I was the most comfortable with Akira. We had the most in common. He had a serious personality and was an excellent fighter. But I wasn't as rash as he was. I think he was well-known for throwing seniors out of the window at his school.

"What do you mean by that?" He returned my scowl. "What do you want?" "Everyone wanted to eat out tonight." Akira shoved his hands in the pockets of his black pants. He wore a trench coat that was purple on the outside and black on the inside. He had a purple shirt under and black hunting boots. His unruly blonde hair and cold eyes gave him even more of a delinquent appearance.

"I'll pass." I sighed and ran a hand through my dark strands. "Honestly, do they really think they should be lying around at a time like this?" "You sound like an old lady." He walked up to me and snatched the papers out of my hands.

"Hey! What are you-"

"They promised they'd pay for the meal." He waved the papers in the air. "Don't make me come here for nothing."

_"That's Akira for you."_

I groaned. "Fine. I'll get Nai to fill in for me while I'm gone or something."

After making sure the guild would be gone in my absence, I changed into a blue top and white skirt. I held my hair up with a ribbon and fastened my sword to my belt.

"Look who decided to show up." Victor grinned. He was waiting along with Mary and Sharon at the front entrance. They were all dressed in casual clothes as well. I joined them along with Akira.

"Ok, that's everyone!" Sharon clasped her hands together. "Let's head off!"

We always normally ate at a small restaurant in the center of Zerian, a town north of headquarters. We even had our own table.

"I'm starving!" Victor groaned as he took a seat. "Just remember that you're paying." I picked up a menu and began flipping through it. "You don't have to remind me." Victor mumbled from behind his menu.

It felt nice to be out with friends for once. In the real world, I never went out and had fun. I was always taking care of Taku. Plus, I had no friends.

"Soooo…" Mary leaned in awfully close. "Progress report?" "For what?" I scowled. "You and Yuta." Mary rolled her eyes. "Though I don't know why he'd be interested in a girl like _you_…"

I flicked her on the head. "I have no feelings for him. And what is that supposed to mean?" "Nothing, really." Mary said with an oviously sarcastic voice. She covered it up by taking a long sip out of her goblet.

"Now, see here, you-"

Our normal, pointless arguments were about to begin when all of a sudden a scream shook the air.

"What was that?" I jumped out of my chair instantly along with the others.

We ran out of the restaurant and towards the town square where the scream had been heard. A crowd had gathered in front of the clock tower. People were panicking, whispering, and staring up in horror.

"What's going on?" I demanded. One girl pointed shakily at the tower. "Th-That man…"

I looked up and gasped.

A man in heavy silver armor was pinned to the tower with a lance. He was gripping the blade in a failed attempt to free himself. He was groaning in pain and sweating all over.

"What the-!" Victor gaped. "It's impossible to player-kill in a safezone!" Sharon exclaimed. I gritted my teeth and ran up the tower as fast as I could.

_"What's going on? You can't player-kill here!"_

"Hang on!" I shouted out the side of the window once I reached the top. "I'll get you down!" The man simply continued to groan in pain. I grabbed a sturdy stone in the wall and swung my body outwards, then pulled myself flat against the wall. With my free hand, I gripped the lance and pulled with all my might, but the lance wouldn't budge.

"Aghhh!" The man arched his head. His body began to shine.

"No-!"

He screamed in agony, and he shattered into a thousand pieces. I watched, horrified, as the remains of his body scattered into the air and dissolved. The crowd below gasped.

"Hitomi-sama!" Sharon's head popped out of the window. "Are you all right?" She spotted the now-gone man and lance still impaled in the wall and gasped "Th…That can't be…" The rest of the gang. They appeared.

"He's…dead…?" Mary muttered. "But…how?"

I twisted my body and leapt back into the room. "This is impossible." I grimaced. "This town is a safe-zone. No one can die here."

"But he just did" Akira glanced out the window again. "For starters, we should find out who he was." He leaned out farther and yelled out. "Oi! Does anyone know the guy who just died here?"

"So straightforward." Victor sweatdropped. "No kidding." Mary sighed.

"No one?" Akira scanned the crowd.

"U-Um…"

A frail girl with long, wavy purple hair stepped forward. "I-I knew that man."

We brought her to a café next to the crime scene. She sat awkward with her head low, hands between her knees.

"I am Yoruko" The girl slowly introduced herself. "That man was a friend of mine, Kains." "Did you see him when he was impaled?" I asked her.

She shook her head. "We had met up in the town's square earlier. I had left just for a second to restock supplies when I heard a scream. I came running back and found him…" Her voice faltered. She buried her face in her hands. Sharon comfortingly patted her back.

"So you have no idea how it happened?" Victor asked. "Um, actually…" Yoruko mumbled. " I saw a shadow in the window after I arrived. Th-That may have been the murderer, but I didn't actually see the face."

"So basically, nothing, huh?" I sighed. "I think this is enough." Sharon said. "She's already in enough shock. Would you like us to walk you home?"

She lived in an inn on the other side of town. It was a tense, silent walk. Once we reached the inn, she turned towards us and bowed.

"Thank you." She said softly. "Don't mention it." Victor said. "We'll be back for more questioning later, but for now, rest." I said softly. She nodded and headed inside.

"Poor girl." Sharon watched her with sympathy. "How could this be?"

"I know." I sighed. "Still, how exactly was Kains killed?"

No one could answer. A murder inside a safezone had never been heard of.

Which could only mean someone had found a new exploit to kill players.


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm not sure how to add Kayaba Akihiko so please give me some ideas!**

**Chapter 9**  
**Hotaru**

It was warm.  
A tingling sensation spread throughout my body. It was silent.  
_"Am I dead?"_  
The warn feeling grew hotter.  
_"So this is what it feels like to be dead, huh?"_  
_"Oh, wait, if I'm dead, then why does it hurt so much?"_  
"Takahashi-san!"  
I woke up with a gasp. That tingling sensation was pain, and my entire body ached. It took me awhile to realize Tsumiki was staring straight down at me.  
Her worried face broke into relief. "You're awake! How do you feel?"  
She was pressing a wet towel against my sweaty forehead. I was in my bed beneath a thick layer of blankets. Tsumiki had brought a stool to the side of my bed to tend to me.  
"What-?" I sat up abruptly. Searing pain made me groan in pain. "Please don't push yourself." Tsumiki gently held me back. "You barely survived that attack."  
"How...?"  
"I-I happened to have a healing elixir on me." Tsumiki fumbled with the towel in her hands in a shy manner. "So, I used it, and..." "I see." I smiled weakly. "You saved my life. Thank you, Tsumiki-chan."  
Her bright pink face turned a deep red. "N-No, I..."  
I laughed. "Oh, by the way, how's Mikage?" "I've already treated him." Tsumiki informed me. "But he was quite angry." "That's Mikage for ya." I chuckled.  
To my surprise, Tsumiki's face turned sincere, which was rare. "Um, Takahashi-san...It may not seem so, but Oshiro-san deeply cares for everyone in this guild, including you."  
"Oh, really?" I didn't believe her. "Are you sure? Cuz-"  
Tsumuki jumped up out of her chair so abruptly that he stool toppled over. I inched back in surprise.  
"I am not lying!" She said in the loudest voice I had ever heard her speak in. "O-Oshiro-san may seem like a bad person, but he really does care for us all! He fights hard to protect us and is greatly angered when one of us is injured!"  
She lowered her head and gripped the fabric of her skirt tight in her fists. "Takahashi-san may not understand since he has never been in a guild before, but...please have more faith in Oshiro-san! H-He-"  
"_I can't take it anymore."_  
I silently climbed out of bed and faced Tsumiki.  
"Have faith in him, you say?" I said in a low voice.  
"T-Takahashi-san?" Tsumiki took a step back.  
"_Crap. I snapped."_  
"How do you expect me to trust a guy like that?" I walked towards her until she was flat against the wall. "I...don't like those kind of guys." "Takahashi-san!" Tsumiki squeaked. I glared at her from under my bangs. Her eyes widened.  
I always changed the color of my eyes, but they probably had that same, cold look that I always hid with my hair. I slammed my right hand into the wall next to her head. She let out a weak gasp.  
"And why do I have to hear such words from a little girl? After I saved that bastard's life." I scowled and leaned in closer. Tsumiki turned her head away from my eyes.  
"Takahashi...san...?"  
"Oi."  
We both looked up in surprise. Mikage was leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed, wearing his usual scowl.  
"Oshiro-san." Tsumiki said with slight relief. "Your injuries?" "I'm fine." Mikage demonstrated by rotating his bandaged arm. "Inui wants you."  
Tsumiki hastily glanced at me. I simply arranged my bangs so that they were covering my face once again. "H-Hai." She cautiously slid past me and darted out the door.  
I sighed. "She'll always be the same." I collapsed back onto the bed. "Man, I'm in pain."  
"Serve you right." Mikage scoffed. "How can you say that?" I snapped back. "If it weren't for me, you'd be dead. And I-"  
Before I could finish, Mikage's fist came flying towards my face. I grimaced as my head was thrown back by the force.  
"Agh-What the hell was that for?!" I touched my now throbbing cheek. "Three reasons." Mikage said. "One for jumping in at that time. I can take care of myself."  
"_I can see that."_  
"Two, for harassing an innocent girl."  
"_I guess I kind of deserved that one."_  
"And, three, for being a reckless, lying idiot."  
"What?" I scowled. "What do you mean, you-" "You could have died." Mikage's face twisted with anger. "I don't take pity. I hate that. You just threw your life away for me thinking that I'm just that pitiful, didn't you?! And don't go around smiling all the time like nothing's wrong, it's annoying! Such a fake! You disgust me!"  
"What are you saying?" I asked suspiciously. Furious, Mikage grabbed the collar of my shirt and heaved me upwards. "I'm saying don't throw around your life like that, you bastard!"  
_"Wait..."_  
"Ah, so she was right." I sighed. "You _were _worried."  
"Hah? Who the hell said that?" Mikage said stubbornly. I laughed.  
Mikage regarded me with curious eyes. "So...this is what you meant?" "Hm? What?" My laughing ceased.  
"Acting." With a sigh, Mikage plopped down besides me. "I hate people like you, you know."  
"And I hate people like you." I retorted playfully.  
"What does this have to do with me? Mikage fell back and landed on a fluffy pillow behind him.  
"I hate people who refuse to let others help them." I swung my legs over the edge of the bed. "It annoys me."  
"What's that?" Mikage growled. "_I'm _annoying?!"  
I laughed. "My bad. Well, whatever. I'm starving! Let's go get something to eat!" With my stonach growling, I got up and headed for the door.  
"Why do you need to pretend?" Mikage blurted out as my hand hovered over the door knob. I simply looked at him over my shoulder and smiled.  
"Because the real me is ugly."  
I turned the door knob. I managed to open the door a few inches before Lilia came flying towards me.  
"HOTARU!"  
"Agh!"  
I fell to the floor with Lilia on top of me. She clung to my neck and rubbed her cheek against mine.  
"I was so scared! I thought you were dead!" She cried. I squirmed under her slim body and struggled to lengthen the distance between her face and mine.  
"S-Sorry to worry you, Lilia-san." I apologized. Inui pryed her off me.  
"Man, you gave us quite a shock there." Inui helped me up. I nodded at him in thanks.  
"Oh, please!" I grinned. "I won't die _that_ easily."  
My joke seemed to lighten the mood and sent the guild into laughter.  
"You must be hungry." Ryo said. "And so am I!" Let's go eat!"  
"Yeah!"  
We gathered around the dining table and began to stuff ourselves full. The air was bright and cheerful, but I could feel Mikage's eyes glaring at me.  
_"This is gonna be a pain."_


End file.
